The Exchange Students
by aurora borealis1
Summary: Some students from Hogwarts(guess who!) are exchanged with some from a school in Norway.
1. The Exchange Project

The exchange students by Aurora Borealis

The exchange students _by Aurora Borealis_

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Summary: Students from Hogwarts(guess who!) are exchanged to students from a school in Norway. They have to be in Norway from after Christmas to the end of the Summer term.

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Disclaimer: Harry and co. belongs to J.K. Rowling. I don't make any money out of this, so there isn't much point in suing me.(_snickers at the angry lawyers)_

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A/N: We are in Harry, Ron and Hermione's fifth year at Hogwarts: they are about 15. This is _my_ Harry Potter-world, so if you don't find any mention about Voldemort rising to power, don't hang on it. But I don't know yet. 

This is my first fanfic, so bear with me. 

I'm from Norway, so don't think you know things about Norway better than me(if you can't prove you're from Norway yourself). If you didn't know, I'll inform you that English is _not_ the native language in Norway, so bear with me if I write bad English. I'm sorry if my vocabulary is bad or not "in".

You'll notice that there is a Norwegian girl playing a big role in this story. That's me. _No,_ not everybody in Norway is blonde, and _no,_ there is NOT polar bears in Norway(_the audience "boos" and is ready to go home)._

If there are any words, names, etc. you wonder what means, please send me a mail or write it in your review.

OK, on with the story. Oh, and please review, 'cause I won't continue the story(at least not lay it out on Fanfiction.net) if I don't get 10 positive reviews. I don't like flames, but if you don't like my story and have a reasonable reason(heh heh, I liked that) for it, feel free to tell me in review.

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Right. The story(_the few people who is left in the hall wake up with a start and looks up at the babbling person on the stage)._

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Chapter one

The Great Hall was as merry as ever the first day at Hogwarts. Students who had not seen each other for two months chatted loudly. The Sorting had just been done, Dumbledore had welcomed the students and had his little speech to the first years. The feast had begun. Just then, Dumbledore got an owl. He read the note, talked a little to the teachers and stood up. 

"Ahem," he said. No response. Sighing, he took out his wand and said: "_Sonorus._" Instantly, his voice was magnified. "Ahem," he said again. Everybody went silent. Smiling, he said: "_Quietus._" With normal voice, he continued: "I would like to have a few words more. This year, there is to be an Exchange project between the schools of wizardry around the world. I have been talking to the Headmasters of two schools, and just got the answer back now. We are going to exchange three students from every House with twelve of their students. Two Houses go Norway, the other two go to France. There will be a competition on who will get to be an exchange student. Only fifth years can compete." Fred and George, who had lighted up at the mention of the chance to do mischief a place where no one knew them well enough to blame them, sank back. 

"Damn," George said. Fred nodded in agreement.

"More information will be given in the first class tomorrow morning," Dumbledore concluded.

"What do you say?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron. "Shall we go for it?" "Why? Would it be all that fun to go to another, foreign school?" Harry asked. "What if we have to go to that school in France, where Fleur came from!" Ron lighted up. Hermione frowned. "Let's hope not. But think... We could get away from Malfoy! Surely _he_ wouldn't want to go!" At that statement Harry and Ron sounded almost eager to get to a foreign country. Anything to get away from Draco Malfoy.(A/N: OK, that was mean to Draco, but that was how they thought about him just then – maybe they'll change their opinion, maybe not. Don't flame me for it.)

***

It was the first lesson in school that year. Harry and the others walked down towards the dungeons.

"Why does our first lesson in school _always _happen to be double Potions with the Slytherins?" Ron complained. The others nodded in agreement as they sat down in their usual seats. Snape came in. 

"Today," Snape said, "we are going to brew a potion called the 'Hot Toddy'-potion." Hermione, Harry and some other Muggle-borns tried hard not to laugh. Snape's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. "Do you find that _funny_?" he asked coldly. More cold than usual, that is. No one dared answer. "We will do this in pairs. _I_ will do the selecting," he added as Harry and Ron instinctely moved toward each other. He sat Hermione up with Pansy Parkinson, to both's disgust, Neville with Crabbe(Neville shook with fear), Ron with a Slytherin boy he didn't know(and didn't care) the name of, and Harry with Malfoy. Both shot killing glares at each other. Lavender Brown ended up with a smirking Goyle.

As they were putting their ingredients up on the table, a polite knock was heard from the door. Snape opened. 

"Excuse me," Professor MacGonagall said, "but I have the information sheets about the Exchange project here. If I could hand them out...?" Snape nodded coldly. He didn't seem too happy about it. MacGonagall went around every table to give the students the papers. 

"Aren't you going to take one, Malfoy?" Harry asked coldly. 

"No," Draco answered, equally coldly. "Why should I? It is just a boring exchange trip anyway. To..." he looked at the paper, "_Norway_, of all places. Now where the hell is _that_? Not that I care." 

"Well, that's fine, then," Harry said. "Then I'll have _you_ of my back for almost a year."

"Do you think you can win, Potter? That would be the day."

"Well, _you_ are even afraid of _trying_."

"Watch your mouth, Potter," Draco sneered. "Or else, I might.."

"What? What would you do? Send Crabbe and Goyle at me? You are even to chicken to fight me yourself." At those words, Draco lunged at Harry, knocking down the table in the process. 

"POTTER!" Snape shouted. "_What_ do you think you are doing?!" He strode down and pulled Harry and Draco apart.

"It was _he_ who just jumped at me!" Harry protested.

"What a stupid lie! Twenty points from Gryffindor! You should learn to control your temper, Potter!"

"But-"

"No buts! Five points from Gryffindor!"

Harry sighed. There was no way you could make reason to Snape. Especially if you was in the Gryffindor House and was named Harry Potter. Out of the corner of his eye Harry spotted Draco smirking at him. _Oh, well_', Harry thought. _At least now I know that Malfoy won't be one of the Exchange students._

***

In the break before lunch Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried to the Gryffindor Tower to read the pamphlets about the Exchange Project. 

"All-world project … students live in the other school from January and out the school year, blah blah blah…" Harry mumbled going through the pamphlet. 

"We know all _that_! Where does it say anything about how we sign up for it?" Ron said irritated, waving around with the pamphlet.

"Am I the _only one_ with brains around here?" Hermione said resigned, sticking the pamphlet up in their faces. "Look on the _backside_, you morons."

"Oh," Harry said.

"Right," Ron said turning his pamphlet. Scanning over it, he looked more and more stricken. His mouth popped open. 

"_Now_ what? Have you forgotten how to read?" Hermione was in a foul mood.

"Knock it off, Herm. Look at what they call a _competition_."

Hermione read:

_THE EXCHANGE STUDENT COMPETITION_

All students who want to compete must write at least 10 lines as for why they want to go. 

There will be a box outside the Great Hall were you can hand in your answer. All answers must be handed in before the 1st of October. 

Before you begin, please read carefully through the pamphlet to be sure if you want to compete. The three best answers from each House will win. The winners will be announced at dinner November the 1st. 

Hermione looked up. "Okay," she said. "A _writing_ competition. So let's start writing." Ron and Harry groaned.

Harry was sitting in the Common Room in Gryffindor Tower, trying to write a response for the Exchange Competition. The date was 30th of October.

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I would get to know other students from another nation and I would (hopefully) new friends. It would be educational: I would learn more about Norway. It would (hopefully) be fun. I want to go.

Harry sighed and bit his lip, frowning at the parchment in front of him. He added a few sentences about how he would get first hand experience in how wizards from other places in the world lived. Harry handed the note to Hermione.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It'll do," she said. "Honestly, Harry, if you had started a little sooner, you wouldn't have had to just scribble something down in the last minute. That counts for _you_ too, Ron."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Ron said absentmindedly, having almost the identical expression as Harry as he looked down at his parchment. Scribbling a final sentence to it, he stood up. "Shall we go hand them in, then?" he asked the others. They followed him out the Portrait Hole.

***

The Exchange Project had been the main topic all over the school those two months. The only ones who didn't seem to care one bit were the Slytherins. Now it was November the 1st. 

"How are they going to get exchange students from the Slytherins if any of them want to be one?" Harry mused as he, Ron and Hermione went to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Maybe they just pick some at random," Ron suggested. Harry and Hermione looked at him in horror. "What?! I was just kidding! Honestly!"

"But what if they do?" Hermione said. "How else are they going to get three Slytherins?" 

"Hey, they could ask Professor Trelawney," Harry said. 

"Yeah, she would probably say the names of someone who are not even _in_ Slytherin."

Dumbledore stood up. All the students fell silent – except the Slytherins, of course.

"Ahem," Dumbledore said. The Slytherins looked up at him and fell reluctantly silent. "As I think you all know, the time for the winners of the Exchange Students Competition is know to be announced. The students will get more information later. First: Hufflepuff." After Dumbledore had read up the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students, he held up a hand to stop the cheering."We must continue," Dumbledore said. "Now: Gryffindor. (All the fifth years by the Gryffindor table focused entirely on him.) Hermione Granger. (Hermione got a very broad grin over her face, while Harry and Ron slapped her on the back.) Harry Potter. (The same scene erupted, only that Hermione and Harry had switched roles.) And… Ronald Weasley." Everybody on the Gryffindor table smiled and congratulated Ron, Harry and Hermione. Ron looked confused. 

"But I only wrote seven lines," he said. 

"Maybe the stuff in it was so good, they overlooked it," Hermione said.

"Um… I wrote that I and Harry-"

"Harry and I," Hermione said automatically.

"-wouldn't get in trouble with Malfoy," Ron said glumly, ignoring Hermione's interruption.

"That explains it."

"Thanks a lot."

"Well," Harry grinned. "It ended up with us after all. Again."

"QUIET!" Dumbledore said. He said it very calmly, but everybody heard him anyway. "There is one table left. Now. Since none of the Slytherins competed," Dumbledore gave the Slytherin table a hard look, "we have to take a draw." He waved his wand, and a bowl with some notes in it appeared. "The first one: Pansy Parkinson. (Pansy changed colour to white, to red, to deep, deep, angry red.) (Fornavn) Crabbe. (Crabbe just looked up from his dessert and grunted stupidly.) And… Draco Malfoy."

"_WHAT?!?!!!"_ Draco, Harry, and Ron exclaimed at the same time. Dumbledore overheard them. Pansy didn't look all that angry anymore.

"Don't get all worked up," Hermione said. "Maybe we won't be on the same-"

"Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw will og to Germany, Gryffindor and Slytherin will og to Norway. That will be all for today. Thank you." With that, Dumbledore sat down again and continued eating his dinner.

Out in the hallway Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other. They knew what the others were thinking. _We wanted to _get away_ from Malfoy, not be with him for over half a year in some Ice Country._

Life couldn't get any worse.

***

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A/N: So, what do you think? Should I continue? Did it suck? Please review, I won't write any more of it on Fanfiction.net if I don't get any more than 10 reviews.


	2. Polar bears, flights and mini buses

Disclaimer: All characters from the Harry Potter Books belong to J ****

Disclaimer: All characters from the Harry Potter Books belong to J.K. Rowling. Yada, yada, yada. The biggest trolls belong to Theodor Kittelsen (Norwegian artist, long dead), the middle trolls I don't know, but the house trolls are based on a troll in a comic by InkaLill

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A/N:Thanks to all you guys who reviewed this: Krissy, *Jia*, Terra, Alice, Fawkes, Alex, becki~, kp, Thorn Baggins.. Lusa: that thingie you said, it was just in case I write something bad, y'know. Thanks to Cali and Iris Pseudacorus, my fellow Norwegians, who understood that I didn't remember Crabbe's first name. It's Vincent. Rrrright. On with the story.

**The Exchange Students: Chapter Two**

Harry and Ron's spirits had sunken way down below about the Exchange Project when they knew that Malfoy was going with them. Hermione, on the other hand, had used all her spare time to learn more about Norway. 

"Did you know that Norway has a population on just 4,4 millions? (A/N: Hey, it's true!)" she said excited to the boys sulking besides her in the common room. "And that if you turned Norway around to the south, it would reach straight down to South Italy?"

"Whatever," Ron said. Harry nodded in agreement. 

"Can't you stop _sulking_? Now you have been indifferent to this whole thing for almost a _month_. Grow up."

"Hermione, we're going to go to a country full of _polar bears_ with _Malfoy._"

"So what? Malfoy is _not_ going to ruin this trip. Besides, it isn't polar bears in Norway."

"You read that in that book of yours, didn't you." 

"No, actually not. The polar bears only live on the Northern Pole, Grønland and Svalbard, an island belonging to Norway."

"Whatever."

"Awww, come on. It's almost Christmas. And Snape hasn't pulled any tests."

"Yet."

"I'm so sick of you guys! Jeez, can't you ever stop sulking and get _over _it? _Man_!" Hermione stood up. Harry and Ron looked baffled at her. Hermione usually didn't get _this_ worked up.

"Hermione-" Harry tried.

"Oh no, don't try to explain it. I've heard it enough times. I'm not talking to you before you get over this thing." And with that, Hermione went through the portrait hole with her book about Norway under her arm. Harry and Ron sat there, gaping after her. Fred and George came over to them. 

"You know, she _is_ right. You shouldn't let a git like Malfoy ruin your trip to Norway," Fred said. 

"I mean," George continued, "think of the possibilities. One: you won't have Snape or Filch lurching around."

"Two: Malfoy will only have Crabbe to fight for him." There was an evil glint Harry and Ron knew only too well in Fred's eye.

"Three: think of all the blond brainwashed girls!"

"George!" Ron was shocked.

"Okay, okay, forget the last one. But think of the other two!"

Harry smiled. "Yeah. Maybe we should apologise to Hermione." He and Ron got up and went looking for Hermione. The twins looked after them.

"You know, it will be a bit quiet when they are gone," Fred said to George. 

"Yeah. We will have to double our tricks to make it even." The Twins went for an appointment with the Slytherin Common Room and some dungbombs, grinning identical mischievous grins.

***

After Harry and Ron had faced that they would have to have Draco Malfoy along to Norway, they actually started looking forward to going to Norway. They had got a list over things they would have to have with them.

"I can't believe they don't have school uniforms," Ron said. 

"Is it such a bad idea?" Hermione asked. "Think about it. You can wear _anything you want to wear_."

"Yeah, but… never mind." Ron shook his head. Then he looked down at his list. "We have to bring _summer clothes_ too? How long are we going to be there? A year?" 

"_Honestly_, Ron, haven't you got even _that_ with you? Of course we have to bring summer clothes – we are going to be there all the Summer Term! But I don't think I will bring all that clothing with me – we _are_ going to use a plane, after all. Or maybe I'll just shrink my luggage…"

"We aren't going to use Floo powder or anything?" Harry asked. 

"No, Professor Dumbledore and that Headmaster over there, Risevis(A/N: translation something like Giantwise – a _rise_ is a Norwegian giant), wouldn't risk it, since we have the Northern Sea between Norway and England."

"How are we going to bring Crookshanks, Pig and Hedwig?" Harry wondered.

"Um, I don't think I will bring Crookshanks," Hermione said. "He'll only be trouble on the way, and think if he runs away on the moors in Norway or something…"

"Yeah, maybe that isn't such a bad idea," Ron said. "I think I'll leave Pig behind too, Ginny could look after him. Well, that is in the holidays and stuff, when he isn't in the Owlery…"

"I'll tell Hedwig that she can stay here if she wants to," Harry said. "Although I want her to come with us. If she want to come, she can only fly over to Norway."

"One thing is certain: She can't be with us when we fly over to Norway," Hermione said.

"We're going with plane?" Harry asked.

"Yep."

"Oh. I reckon we have to have Muggle clothes on the journey, then."

"You don't sound all that optimistic."

"Are you _kidding_? The only Muggle clothes I have are some old ones from Dudley." 

"What about _me_?" Ron asked. "You have forgotten that I don't have any taste in Muggle clothes. The only ones my family has are some hippie and Hawaii clothes. I'm doomed. Hey – what are you looking at us for?"

"I was thinking… I could take you on a shopping trip to London for Muggle clothes in the Christmas holiday – one of the days the shops are open, of course." Hermione looked at them with a look any man should beware of.

"I don't have the money," Ron said shortly.

"Look at it like a Christmas present, then."

"…" 

"Oh, come on, Ron," Harry said. He was getting sick of Dudley's clothes. "Go for it. It will be a present from me too."

"Please, Ron? You wouldn't want to look like a total idiot in front of those Norwegian guys, would you?" 

"No…" Ron wasn't sure yet. 

"Pleeeaaasse?" Hermione had Bambi eyes.

"Oh, all right."

"But you won't get any other presents from us."

"I said 'Yes', didn't I? But Hermione, we're not going to go shopping for more than four hours, okay? Or I'm not going with you."

"Why would I want to go shopping for more than four hours?" Hermione asked innocently.

"Hermione," Ron said, "you have forgotten that I have a mother and a little sister at home who have charge over all the shopping."

Hermione said a very bad word.

***

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(In Norway: Trollheimen, School of Wizardry. Dinner in the Great Hall)

"Stille! Jeg har en kunngjøring," Risevis, the Headmaster, said. (A/N: Oooops! Sorry! Those who can't speak and read Norwegian, raise your hands. *Everybody raises their hands* Oh, right. Umm, I better translate it, then. Oh, and that weird "ø"-letter does not exist in the English alphabet, as well as "æ" and "å". I won't translate it; I'm too lazy. If you really wonder how you pronounce it, or any Norwegian words-and names-, please write it in your review. Back to the story.)

"Quiet! I have an announcement," Risevis, the Headmaster, said. "The last day of the Christmas holiday the students from Hogwarts will be arriving on Gardermoen(A/N: The airport at Oslo, the capital in Norway). Two students – from the fifth year – will be with me as a welcome committee. They will also be the students showing the students from Hogwarts around Trollheimen and help them when they are here. And, of course, you will have to speak English with them. Any volunteers?" The students looked at each other. One girl with dark brown hair started talking with a blonde girl. It seemed that they came to an agreement. The two girls stood up. 

"Bjørnson? Leirgulen?" Risevis asked, looking at them.

"Why not? I promise to behave." The blonde girl smiled innocently.

"I need a boy too," Risevis said. A boy who sat beside the two girls, stood up. Risevis smiled. "All right. I have no objections. Please come with me." Risevis led the students into another room behind the teachers' table. "Ok," he said. "I want you to make a good impression on these students. I don't want them running back to Dumbledore talking about how stupid, borish and _out_ Norway, and we, are. Because we're not. Understood?" He looked at all of them with piercing blue-grey eyes. 

"Count on me, Hansi," the blonde girl grinned. The Headmaster rolled his eyes, while the other students grinned.

"Not if I could avoid it," he joked. "You may leave now. I don't want to disturb your dinner any longer. You will get more information later. And Kjersti," he said after the retreating blonde, "please don't overdo it. And _don't_ call me 'Hansi'." Kjersti only grinned and went after the others. (A/N: 100 points to those who can guess who Kjersti is.)

***

"Look at all those _muggles_!" Ron exclaimed excited.

"Ron, can't you _shut up_?" Hermione hissed. People (muggles, that is) were starting to cast weird looks at them. 

"But what are they all _doing_ here?" Ron asked.

"I don't know... do you think they are taking the _plane_?" Hermione said sarcasticly.

"Very funny. But I've never seen so many muggles in one place!" 

"Shut up, Weasley. People look strange at you," Draco Malfoy said in that drawling tone of his.

"Now, really. Don't you think that that's because _some of us_ refused to wear Muggle clothes?" Ron said sarcasticly. He feigned thinking about it. "No, it has to be me." Draco was going to make another comment, but Professor McGonnagal cut in on the argument.

"Please behave, all of you. I don't want any fighting, especially not here." McGonnagal was wearing a light grey suit (with skirt) wich she looked born in. The students wore a mix of different muggle clothes, some very misplacen (like a jogging suit and bow tie), but others, like Hermione, Ron and Harry, looked very Muggle-ish indeed. Draco wore an ice blue wizard robe. Pansy Parkinson was practically drooling all over him. (By the way, she wore a pink mini skirt and a green shirt. Andyellow rubber boots.)

"Okay, everybody, place your luggage here on this ramp," Professor McGonnagal said. Draco, Pansy and Crabbe did. Hermione, Ron and Harry, who had shrunken their luggage so that it fitted in their handluggage didn't need to. Neither did Professor McGonnagal who didn't have any luggage because she was just escorting them to the Norwegian airport, where they would meet the people from the Norwegian school.

"Where are your luggage?" Professor McGonnagal asked, turning towards Hermione.

"We, uh, shrank it," Hermione said hesitantly. "We didn't want to drag it around all the time." McGonnagal looked at them for a moment, then she smiled. (A/N: Okay, her lips turned slightly upwards. Picky, picky, picky.) "That's all right, then. I gather you have it in your handluggage?" 

"Yes, Professor," Hermione said. 

"Let's hope the reverse spell works, then. You wouldn't want to have miniature clothes in Norway, would you?"

"No, Professor."

McGonnagal turned towards the others, who had followed the entire conversation. "What are you waiting for?" she asked. "We have to catch a plane."

"'Catch a plane'?" Ron muttered. "How do we catch a 'plane'?"

"Oh, Ron, it's just a figure of speech," Hermione said. "What she meant was that our flight goes soon, and we have to be there."

"Oh." Ron looked relieved.

Harry waited for a hard comment from Draco, but it never came. Looking over at him, Harry saw Draco staring around with slightly wide eyes, trying to get away from Pansy Parkinson all the while. _He probably hasn't seen so many muggles in one place either,_ Harry thought. _And doesn't have any idea what a plane is_._ He's probably nervous_. Harry was nervous himself, since he never had flown in a plane before. The Dursleys had never taken him with them on their holidays in other countries. Or any other places, for that matter. Going over to Draco, he said: 

"Relax. The plane won't crash. Not likely. It has to be very stable to not crash when it has Dudley – that's my cousin – in it, and it never has. Crashed, I mean." Draco turned over to Harry, opening his mouth, but closing it again. Then he narrowed his eyes. 

"Are you mocking me, Potter?" he asked coldly. Harry was surprised, and didn't try to hide it. "Why would I do that?"

"You know I have never sitten in a plane."

"Hey, neither have I. The Dursleys would never take me with them on holidays." Now why did he say that?

"You hate them, don't you?" Draco said.

"Yeah. And they hate me."

"Why? Because they are muggles?"

"I don't think that has so much to do with it. I think it's more because I'm different from them. They don't like that." Harry looked hard at Draco.

"Then it is because they are muggles," Draco stated.

"You don't have to be a muggle to hate the people who are different from you, Malfoy." Harry looked Draco in the eyes. For a split second they locked stares. Harry knew that Draco knew what he had meant. Draco looked away almost immediatly.

"That's enough lecturing for today, Potter," he said coldly. Harry went forward to Hermione and Ron.

"Did it work?" Hermione asked. Harry didn't know how she knew what he had done, but he didn't bother to find out.

"I don't know. But I think the seed is there, perhaps growing." He smiled, and looked back behind them. Pansy Parkinson had come over to Draco.

"What did he say?" she asked Draco.

"None of your business," Draco said coldly.

"Did he bother you?"

"Yes. Even worse than you do."

"Then it must have been pretty awful," Pansy said angry.

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"No."

Pansy strode angry away, muttering darkly to herself. Draco smiled. Then he saw Harry, Hermione and Ron watching him. The smile quikly faded. He sneered at them.

***

They were on the plane. Draco had ignored Pansy's open hinting that she would love to sit beside him on the plane. Instead, he sat beside Crabbe five seats behind Pansy, who was now sulking. Draco didn't care. He was getting sick of Pansy drooling all over him every time he said anything to her. She had been practically ecstatic since that ball in the fourth grade, ignorant of the fact that he only had went with her because no one else had asked him. _And why should they_, Draco thought. _Nobody wants to go with Malfoy. I'm just the bad boy and Harry the hero. _Not that so many girls had asked Harry to go to the ball with them. _Famous Harry Potter. They just want to go with him because he defeated Voldemort. _Draco suppressed a shiver. He didn't like the thought of Voldemort. It made him think of his father. _He brought me up like this. It is _his_ fault that I'm the way I am._ But what if it wasn't? Maybe he _had_ something to say after all. It seemed that Harry, Hermione, and Ron thought so. _What do _they_ matter? I don't care what they think._ Or did he? He remembered what Harry had said. _"You don't have to be a muggle to hate the people who are different from you, Malfoy."_ Now why did he say that? _I know perfectly well why he said that. Oh, well. I'll just wait and see. I don't have to change just over night. Why should I anyway?_ But Draco knew why, although he didn't want to admit it. Yet. He looked out the window at all the white, puffy clouds under the plane. They made a funny fairy tale country – with plaines of puffy clouds, trees of puffy clouds and creatures of puffy clouds. The sun was bright over all the white of the clouds and blue of the sky. _I guess the saying _is _true_, he thought. _Over the clouds the sun always shine._

***

The speaker in the plane beeped. "This is the captain," it said. "We are now five minutes from landing on Gardermoen. Please fast your seatbelts. Do not unfasten them before you get the signal. Thank you." Harry did as he was told and tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. The take off had gone fine, but the landing… He looked back at Draco. He had gone paler than usual. Harry mouthed: _Good luck_. Draco hesitated, before he reluctantly replied: _You too_. Harry smiled and turned around. The butterflies were treatening to fly out his mouth. He took a firm grip on his chair arm. Hermione smiled reassuringly at him and Ron, who had turned slightly green. 

Suddenly the plane falled evenly down- and forward. They fell through the clouds, and Harry saw what looked like a line of green lights marking a "road". The air was full of snowflakes. The plane landed with a *bump* and rolled forward on the landing road. Quikly it slowed down. When it was standing still, the lights over the seats reading "Seat belt on" went out. Everybody unfastened their seatbelts and got their handluggage. With Professor McGonnagal in the lead, they went out of the plane and through a gangway before they got out in the airport hall. The plane waitresses smiled, nodded to them and said: "Have a nice day!" Harry wondered how many times a day they had to say that sentence. He shuddered at the thought. "Der er de!" (A/N: Translation: "There they are!") Harry turned towards the voice.

***

"Ok. Remember to behave," Risevis said to the students, although he looked at Kjersti.

"Relax, Hansi," Kjersti said. "I'm going to be nice. Almost nice."

"Don't call me Hansi."

"Of course, Hansi."

"I could get you detention for lacking respect for the Headmaster."

"I'll be nice."

"Just don't call me that when these students come. And not in front of the whole school either."

"We are not in front of the whole school, Headmaster."

"I know that. You know what I mean."

"Oh, all right. Where are they going to arrive?"

"Gate five," Mona said (A/N: the other girl), looking up at the blackboard with the arrivals and departures of the planes. "Seems like it is the last plane to land or take off."

"Not strange. This snow is going to be a blizzard soon," the boy, Mats, said.

They were at gate Five now. People were going out of the gangway between the plane and the airport hall.

"There they are," Risevis said. He went forward and shook hands with a strict looking woman in grey suit with her brown hair in a tight bun.

"Professor McGonnagal," she said.

"Professor Risevis. I'm the Headmaster," Risevis said.

"I have a letter here from Professor Dumbledore, our Headmaster." McGonnagal took a letter out of her purse. "It will tell you what you need to know about the students. We have had … _problems_ with them before." 

Risevis looked over the students from Hogwarts, raising an eyebrow at one of them, a boy with unruly black hair and brilliant green eyes behind glasses. "I wager you have," he smiled. "Don't worry, I know Dumbledore personally and we can handle it."

"I doubt Dumbledore would have sent him to you if he had any doubts you couldn't," McGonnagal said. Then she lost some of that strict look and smiled. "I only wish you good luck. You are going to need it." 

"Thank you – I think. Our students will arrive sometime tomorrow at noon with the train."

"They will find the way?"

"Yes. The teacher with them has been to Hogwarts before."

"Okay. I'll ask Hagrid – that's our Ground Keeper and one of the teachers – to meet them on the trainstation at Hogsmeade. Your teacher will recognise him as a very large man."

"That would be perfect. My regards to Dumbledore."

"Yes. Oh, and if there is any trouble, just 'call' us. Do you have the code?"

"Yes. Thank you. Bye."

"Bye." Professor McGonnagal went to the Lady's room to apparate back to Hogsmeade (A/N: You can't apparate inside Hogwarts, you should know that) and Risevis turned towards the students from Hogwarts.

"Hello. My name is Hans Petter Risevis. I'm the Headmaster at Trollheimen, the Norwegian school of Wizardry. These students," he indicated the four students from Trollheimen, "are going to show and help you around when you are at Trollheimen. If you would follow me, please, we will find your luggage and we will get to the school."

Kjersti motioned for the students from Hogwarts to follow, and they went to the Luggage arrival part of the airport.

***

Hermione and the others looked at the three students who had come to meet them. McGonnagal stood a little away from them, talking to a young man in the mid-twenties. All the Norwegians had muggle clothes, which wasn't surprising. They _were_, after all, on an airport full of muggles.

"Hi. I'm Kjersti," one of the girls said. She had silver-gold hair with streaks of white reaching halfway down her shoulder blades, black tight-fitting flared jeans, a black top with tiger motive in silver, and a black leather jacket, just a little longer than the waist, hanging open. The other students had clothes that didn't … separate them from a mass so much. The girl had shoulder length dark brown hair, a light blue sweater and blue flared jeans. The boy had wide jeans hanging real low (A/N: I don't know the word for that fashion in English, in Norwegian it's called 'sagging') on his waist(ok, it hang _below_ his waist), and a dark blue college sweater. It seemed like they used those clothes all the time. "This is Mona and Mats," the girl named Kjersti continued, pointing at the other students with her. She looked questionary at Hermione.

"Oh! Umm, I'm Hermione, and this is Harry and Ron," Hermione said and pointed at Ron and Harry. _Any minute now she's going to jump squealing at Harry and shriek: "Oh my god! It's Harry Potter!" and faint, she thought._ But the blonde just smiled and said: "Nice to meet you. Let me guess: Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." Ron looked taken aback, Harry looked relieved that she hadn't shrieked at him and didn't stand talking to his scar, and Hermione thought that Kjersti maybe wasn't that braindead after all. (A/N: HAHA! Not all blondes are!)

"Umm, how did you know my last name?" Ron asked. He understood that she knew _Harry's,_ but…

"That brother of yours, Charlie/Bill, have been around sometimes after that affair with the Norwegian Ridgeback a friend of yours had."

"How do you know about Norbert?" Ron spluttered.

"My brother was one of those flying away with Norbert," she said. Seeing the looks on their faces, she smiled. "Don't worry. Norbert is now enjoying himself barbecuing jotuns trying to escape from Jotunheim."

"What is a 'jotun'?" Harry asked.

"It is a sort of troll. It can have many sort of shapes. Jotuns was the enemy of the old Northern gods. Jotunheim is their exile place. It means 'Jotun's Home'."

"Yeah, I've read about them," Hermione said excited. "Odin, Tor, Sleipner, Mjollnir…,"

"We get the picture, Hermione," Ron said.

"You've read about the Northern Mythology?" Kjersti asked entusiastically. "That's cool. I really like it…"

"Hermione reads about everything she can get her hands on," Ron grinned.

"Shut up, Ron."

"But," Harry said before Hermione and Ron could attack each other, "you said the jotuns was in some _mythology_. How can they exist?"

"Oh, they are real. Mythology is based on a few facts, you know." Kjersti smiled.

"Great," Harry muttered.

Then the guy Professor McGonnagal had talked to turned towards them, and smiled. 

"Hello," he said. "My name is Hans Petter Risevis. I'm the Headmaster at Trollheimen, the Norwegian school of Wizardry…"

***

After retrieving their luggage, the Hogwarts students followed the Trollheimen Headmaster to a Mini bus parked outside the airport. The blizzard shrieked around them, tugging at clothes and tipping over luggage. Risevis took the car keys and pressed a button on them. The car blinked, and the doors were open.

"Get inside!" he yelled over the howling wind. The Norwegian students hauled the luggage in the back of the bus, while all the Hogwarts students climbed into the bus. Hermione, Ron and Harry placed themselves at the back of the mini bus, in a three-seat: it was one row with two seats and one with three seats. A little while later Kjersti and the other girl, Mona, sat on the two-seat beside them. Hermione noted that the Trollheimen students didn't seem touched by the cold, howling blizzard outside, although she and the other students from Hogwarts all had shattering teeth.

"So," she said. "Is it always this cold in Norway?"

"Cold?" Kjersti looked surprised. "Do you call this _cold_? This is _warm_. Just wait 'till when the polar bears comes! _That's_ when it's cold!"

"_Polar bears_? You've got _polar bears_ here?" Harry looked at Kjersti and Mona with a look of outmost disbelief. It seemed like Mona tried hard to suppress a laugh.

"What's wrong with that?" Kjersti asked innocently.

"Hermione, you said they didn't _have_ polar bears here!" Ron looked accusingly at Hermione.

"But-but, they _don't_…," Hermione stammered.

"..have polar bears? Of course we do. And if you think _this_ is cold, you don't stand a chance when it's January. That's when the polar bears come down from Finnmark (A/N: the northern most county in Norway.)," Kjersti said calmly. That was when Mona couldn't suppress it any more. She laughed and laughed and laughed. "I can't take it anymore… I can't!" (A/N: This was originally said in Norwegian, but for your benefit, I got her to say it in English.)

"Ummm, why is she laughing?" Ron asked. That was when Risevis asked in a surprisingly chidingly (and Dumbledore-ish) tone:

"Kjersti? Are you pulling that 'polar bear-trick' again?"

"_Polar bear trick_?" Harry, Ron and Hermione turned towards Kjersti.

"Ummm, yeah," she said in a small voice.

"You told me you would behave, Kjersti," Risevis said accusingly.

"Yes."

"And you said you would, didn't you."

"..yes."

"And was that a nice thing to do to our guests?"

"…no…"

"So what do you say?" Risevis hid a smile.

"I'm sorry I pulled the 'polar bear-trick' on you, we don't have polar bears in Norway, they only live on Svalbard, the Northern Pole and Grønland-"

"I told you!" Hermione said triumphantly.

"-and I promise not to do it again. Satisfied, Hansi?" Kjersti concluded.

"I didn't quite hear that last part," Risevis said pointedly, although that smile he tried to hide was creeping over his face.

"Satisfied, _Headmaster_?"

"That's better."

"Thank you."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that last comment."

"Kjersti?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" Kjersti turned towards her. The bus had become warm, but the blizzard was still storming outside.

"What does 'Trollheimen' actually mean?" Ron and Harry turned towards them too.

"In English it's 'The Troll home'."

"Uh, you don't have any trolls, do you?" Harry said uncertain. Kjersti looked strangely at them.

"Of course we have. That's why we call it Trollheimen, after all."

"You are kidding, right?" Ron said sceptically. "Come on, we're not going to fall for it another time."

"I'm not _kidding_," Kjersti said. "We have trolls, lots of 'em! We even have House trolls."

"_House trolls_?"

"Yeah, one for each house. What?" Ron, Harry and Hermione looked at her like she was a madman.

"You're not kidding," Hermione whispered. "You actually have _trolls_ in your school."

"What's wrong with that?" Kjersti asked. "Trolls are _cute_. Right, Mona?"

"Hmmm?" Mona had fallen asleep. "What?" (A/N: This was said in Norwegian.)

"Isn't it right that trolls are cute?" Kjersti repeated.

"Yeah, shure. Especially with those tails…" Mona yawned and fell back to sleep.

"Tails? Trolls don't have tails!" Harry said.

"Of course they have. Cute little tails with-" Kjersti stopped. Then she slapped her forehead. "Of course! Maybe I _am_ pure blonde after all! This was totally dumbheaded, so.." (A/N: Sometimes I say that, since I'm not stupid and a natural light blonde)

"What was?"

"You think about that sort of troll that is in England! I forgot that the word 'troll' are used both on those stinking, dumb, ugly monsters _and_ the original troll," Kjersti explained.

"What do you mean, _original troll_?" Ron asked.

"Did you know that the word 'troll' actually comes from Norway? (A/N: It's true) Well, in Norway the word 'troll' is used about some good creatures, too. So when we talk about 'house trolls', we mean cute little creatures with cute little tails and stuff. There are three troll types in Norway: those big ones who look mostly like large rocks with moss on them and has a tree on the nose, some who have about the same size and appearance as we and rather lion-like tail – those are the ones usually used on the souvenir postcards – and those cuddly little house trolls."

"Oh. That's all right then. We thought you meant those yukky mountain trolls," Hermione said. "Fortunately, you weren't."

"Yup."

"Kjersti?" It was Hermione again. Some time had passed – the wind had settled more down, but it was still snowing heavily.

"Yes?" Kjersti turned towards her, away from the book she was reading.

"How long does it take to get to your school?"

Kjersti looked down at her watch. "Another hour, I think. Normally, I mean, muggle way, it would take a few days with car or bus, but since we are using magic, it only takes as many hours as it would have taken days."

"Oh. Are we flying?"

Kjersti smiled. "Not really. It can seem that way, but actually we are jumping from one place to another, in the air. It wouldn't be safe to be on the road, since we could risk landing on a muggle car."

"How do we, er, jump?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Out in the front there is a map with jumping points," Kjersti told her. "Each jumping point has a code number, which Risevis – you know, the Headmaster – dial in on a desk top with his wand. It really is just a mix of technology and magic. Very practical, but if you don't know where it is you're going, it can be very dangerous."

"Professor Risevis," Hermione said thoughtfully. "He must be very powerful."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, he _is_ rather young to be Headmaster over a wizard school, isn't he?"

Kjersti looked forward at the driver of the mini bus. "He is, isn't he? I remember our old Headmaster. He was ancient. The worst part about him was that he mixed us students with students he had had fifty years before. Maybe that's why the other teachers wanted a young Headmaster. They were getting tired of that old guy."

"How old is he, really?"

Kjersti breathed slowly out. "Let me think now. He's got birthday in…right. He's twenty-five now. He was twenty-three when he got the job."

"Oh. He was fortunate, then."

"I don't think he would agree with you on that."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say that certain students doesn't have that Headmaster-student-very-much-respect relationship with him. You know, like you have with Dumbledore. He's more a big brother-figure than that grandfather-figure."

Hermione opened her mouth to disagree, but realised that it actually was true. Dumbledore was more a grandfather you wouldn't want to disappoint than some sort of policeman watching over you, waiting for you to do something wrong so he could throw you behind some bars.

"But is that so bad?" she asked.

"Probably not, but then, he hate the paperwork too."

"Oh. That explains it."

"And Hermione," Kjersti said before Hermione turned towards a book, "my name is pronounced 'Cherstee'. Without that round 'r' you are so fond of."

"'Cherstee.' Okay. My name is pronounced 'Her-my-oh-nee'."

"I knew that," Kjersti grinned. "I just said it different to irritate you."

"You are a very bad girl," Hermione smiled.

"I know." They grinned at each other.

"Kjersti?"

"How many times are you going to start asking something with that word?"

"Oh, I don't know. 50 more, maybe." They laughed.

"So, what was it know?" Kjersti's smile took off the edge in the words.

"Aren't you guys very good in English? I mean, it isn't your native language."

"Well, no, but we start with English when we are about nine, and there is very much English in movies and stuff."

"Muggle movies? Do you watch them?"

"Shure. We aren't so disconnected from muggles as you maybe are."

"Well, I have muggle parents, but…"

"They aren't much involved in the wizard part of your world?"

"No."

"I have muggle parents too. And an elder sister… well, she _is_ muggle, but we kinda forget that sometimes."

"Oh."

"Well, when we come to Trollheimen you'll know what I mean. But don't think all of us are so good in English. I'm not either, you know that slug I get when I speak the words…"

"I think you speak it rather well."

"Thank you. But Mats is much better than I. Have you heard him talk much English yet?"

"No…"

"Well, he's a genius. But wait 'till you hear those from Oslo and places around it… Every time I hear them try speaking English I try to resist laughing." Kjersti took on a dumb look and said: "Dey speak wit a verry larrge 'rr'. And they roll it. The 'r', I mean."

"But why can you so much English?"

"Books. I'm a bookworm. You wouldn't think it by looking at me, would you? Well, most of the books I read are in series, and most of them aren't published in Norwegian, so I read them in English. And then, there are the books which isn't published and probably won't be published in Norwegian…"

"What kind of books do you read?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Mostly 'fantasy'. You know, with magic and dragons and stuff…"

"Like the wizard world?" Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, but in other worlds – I mean, not our own world. Besides, it _is_ rather funny to read fantasy books written by muggles… Although some of them are wizards. What about you?"

"Oh, I read – like Ron said – any kind of book I can get my hands on, except the books about the Dark Arts. What are you reading now?" Hermione looked at the book in Kjersti's lap.

"Oh, this? For once it isn't a fantasy book. It's, er, in English it's translated 'Anne Frank's diary", but I'm not shure if it's called that… do you know it?"

"Yeah, that diary a Jewish girl wrote during World War Two?"

"Yes. You read it?"

"Yes. It was really sad, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes. This is the second time I read it."

"I've read it three times."

"You got me there."


	3. First day at school

Disclaimer: Same as before ****

Disclaimer: Same as before. Oh, and the "Veela idea" as I call it, is borrowed from Cassandra Claire, a FFF(fantastic fanfic) writer. Sorry, it fitted in. Don't sue me: I'm broke enough as it is and you have no right 'cause I have written a disclaimer.*snickers*

****

A/N: Thanks to all those who have reviewed, you guys are the best! 

Iris Pseudoporis: Jeg har prøvd å skrive mail til deg to ganger, men jeg har bare fått melding tilbake om at e-mailadressen din ikke finnes! Kan du maile meg på [kjersti_hb@hotmail.com][1] så kan jeg skrive tilbake? 

And a special thanks to Ron's babe, who has saved me several times when I was in a writer peril. Read her stories.

A/N: All Norwegian talk is now marked with …. Satisfied? *Boos from the audience* What? What do you want now? Oh, the _story_…

****

The Exchange students: Chapter Three

Hermione had fallen asleep when they finally arrived at Trollheimen.

"Hermione," Ron said, nudging at her. "Wake up." He nudged her again, and she sleepily lifted her head off his shoulder, which she had been using as a pillow.

"Oh," she said, looking at it. A little pink showed in her cheeks.

"We have arrived," Ron said, much to cover the awkward moment.

"Right," she said, turning slightly away. Looking around, she asked: "Do we have to take our luggage now?"

Kjersti, who had followed the exchange, smiled. "No," she said. "The trolls will take care of it. You don't need to take the hand luggage, either."

"Okay," Hermione said and followed her, leaving Harry and Ron with the Norwegian boy – Mats, she corrected herself. They were in a large room full of cars, motorcycles, mini buses and buses, bikes and… large holes? The holes stood in two rows, going into two different walls. Under the holes there was a pile of mattresses and pillows. Over each hole there was a name in one colour each: _Huldra, Rise, Nøkken, Dovregubbens hall_…

"What are all those holes?" Harry asked.

"That's our way of transportation to every part of the school," Mats said. "Trollheimen isn't just one building. It's more like many buildings scattered over a certain territory. We have one building for the girls' dormitories, one for the boys' dormitories, one bath house, one were we eat, and quite a few for the classes."

"Don't you have Houses?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean?" Mats looked puzzled.

"Well, in Hogwarts, the students are in four different houses, one for each of Hogwarts' founders. And we have the House Cup, which every House compete about."

"Oh. How many students are there in each House for every…grade?"

"About ten."

"That makes about forty students in the whole? We only have about 25 for each grade. Usually more boys than girls." Mats grinned.

"Why is it two sets of holes?" Ron asked.

"Because you have two ways to go, silly," Hermione said matter-of-factly, although she smiled at him.

"Right," Ron muttered. "Which one are we going in?"

"You see that one?" Mats pointed to the hole with _Rise_(blue) written over it. "That's the boys' dormitories. That other one," he pointed at _Huldra_(red), "is to the girls' dormitories, so I advise you to only use it when the teachers are other places. Usually they don't mind, only if you are there 'til after ten."

"We can be up 'till ten?" Harry asked. "At Hogwarts you have to be in the Common Room at nine. If they find you in the corridors after that, you get detention." Mats winced.

"Well, that ain't a problem here," he said. "We don't _have_ corridors."

"Monsen," Risevis called towards them, "get moving. It's almost eleven o'clock. I want you guys sleeping fast; it's normal school day tomorrow."

"Shit!" Mats muttered. "I had forgot about that."

"Do the teachers allow you to talk like that?" Ron looked rather shocked. "If ours had heard you, they would give you detention for a week!"

"They would?" Mats looked intrigued. "Well, it's usually only Risevis who tolerate it. If it wasn't for that you guys were here, I bet he wouldn't say, "Get moving". It would be more like, "Get your ass in gear"." Harry and Ron looked admiring at Risevis.

"What a _Headmaster_ you have!" Ron said and yawned. "But he has one point: I really want some sleep now."

"You betcha." Harry yawned too. Mats turned towards Draco and Crabbe.

"Come on," he said to them. "Oh, and that hole," he pointed to the hole which read _Nøkken_ in a white colour against the brown wall, "leads to the bathrooms."

***

Hermione followed Mona reluctantly through the hole. "Don't stick your arms out," was the last she heard before she rushed through a dark tunnel. It stopped abruptly, flinging her out into a lit room. She flailed out with her arms to stop the fall, but she landed safe in a pile of pillows and mattresses. _Now I see why there were so many pillows under the holes,_ she thought. Looking around the room, she saw that it was totally cowered with pillows and mattresses. Mona stood to one side, beside a door. The walls had a line of holes, similar to the ones in the room they had arrived from, but instead of a hole with _Huldra_ on it, there was a hole with _Gompetransport_ in a steel grey colour. Then Hermione heard a cry from the hole behind her.

"Quick!" Mona motioned her to get away from the hole. Hermione scrambled towards Mona. Just in time – a second later Pansy Parkinson flew from the hole – straight towards the opposite hole which read _Gompetransport_. Mona grabbed her wand and said: "_Hullio Interruptio_!" There was a loud *smack*, and Pansy flew headfirst into a sealed hole. She slumped down, groaning and rubbing her head. Mona waived her wand again, and the seal slid up in the wall over the hole again.

"Are you okay?" Mona asked. Pansy glared at her.

"Why did you bring up that wall? You could have thrown a pillow!" she said angry.

"It wouldn't have reached you," Mona said. "You would just fly straight back to the Transport stable. And probably crashed into a bike or car."

"Hmph." Pansy turned away. A patch on her forehead was starting to turn a yukky shade of purple-black.

"I can get you something for that bump," Mona suggested. Pansy narrowed her eyes, but it obviously hurt, so she said:

"Yes." Then Kjersti came out from the hole, which also read _Gompetransport_, but had the text _under_ the hole. _Guess that when the text is _under_ the hole, it means that it comes from the place, and when it is _over_, the tunnel goes to the place_, Hermione thought.

"I'm going to the hospital _sæter_ with – Pansy, was it?" Mona said.

"Yes," Pansy said. Hermione was surprised that Pansy didn't tell Mona to just call her 'Parkinson', but shrugged it away.

"Ok," Kjersti said. "I'll just show Hermione around, then. Come on, Hermione. Oh, and take off your shoes." Hermione followed Kjersti out the door into another room, after taking her shoes in a shelf with "fifth years" on it. Hermione looked around wide-eyed.

They were in a room about the same size as the Gryffindor Common Room. It had a large fireplace in one corner, and white pelts all over the floor. They were very soft under her foot. In another corner there was another pile of pillows. There were tables of various sizes, chairs, and couches scattered around the room. There were reading lamps standing beside some of the chairs and couches, and lamps hanging from the ceiling. The walls had shelves with books and ornaments, portraits of wizards and witches, what Hermione reckoned was 'original' trolls and a very beautiful woman with a foxtail. The pictures seemed occupied, though, so she didn't dwell on them. Her eyes stopped on one item.

"A _muggle stereo-player_?" she said.

"Why not?" Kjersti asked.

"And muggle CD's?"

"What's wrong with that? The wizard world hasn't come to CD's and stuff, so why not use muggle stuff?"

"It just surprised me, that's all."

"Just wait till tomorrow then. You're going to be surprised by a new thing every minute. But now, we're going to bed. We have to get up early tomorrow."

***

Hermione yawned and looked sleepily around. For a split second, she didn't know where she was. Then she remembered and looked around. To one side of her Mona and Pansy laid sleeping. Pansy snored loudly. _Now where is Kjersti?_ she thought. She looked at the alarm clock beside Mona. It showed 7:00. _Oh, well. Might as well get up…_For a moment, she hesitated. She didn't know wether she should wake Mona and Pansy, or not… But then she noticed when the clock was going to ring. 7:30. _Oh, bother, _she thought. _They're gonna wake up soon anyway. Might as well take a look around._

She hadn't had the opportunity last night, so first, she looked around the room which obviously was the fifth year girls' dormitory. There were nine beds in the room – the two beds which she and Pansy slept in obviously belonged to the girls who had went to Hogwarts. _Hmph. Only _nine_ girls in a hole class._ The room was rather large – every bed, which she noticed was four posters just like at Hogwarts, although there were strange carvings in the ends, had what looked like a section of wall 'belonging' to it. Over one bed there were pictures and posters of horses, galloping around, grassing and jumping over fences with riders on their backs(only on the fence jumping, but while Hermione looked at one of them, the rider fell off and ran cursing after her horse). On the four poster had the name _Hilde_ written on it. Over Kjersti's bed the wall was plastered with posters of a Chinese looking guy named Jet Li (A/N: He's so _cute_ – and, of course, a helluva good martial artist) doing martial art-stuff, movies named _The Matrix, X-men, _and_ Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon_, and a Korean woman Michelle Yeoh (A/N: She's so cool! Did you know she does all her stunts by herself? She's _very_ good at martial arts. I _think_ she's from Korea) _also_ doing martial arts stuff. It seemed like Kjersti occupied half of Mona's wall space too, but Hermione reckoned that Mona didn't mind.

A fire was crackling in the fireplace opposite the door. The beds lay with the back against one of the long walls, facing wardrobes with the names of the girls on it. Kjersti's wardrobe had what looked like a tapestry of posters of Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. It also had some posters of two guys named Chow Yun Fat and Jackie Chan. _Is she crazy about martial artists/movie stars or what? _Hermione wondered. She saw two other closets too, with the names _Hermione _and _Pansy_ on them over two other names. 

There was a window beside the fireplace overlooking a vale with what seemed like suddenly flat ground on the bottom.

Hermione hesitated. Should she go down? She wasn't sure if there were many other students around, since this was the first day after the Christmas holiday. It didn't look like the other girls from Kjersti and Mona's – and now her – class had come back to Trollheimen yet. But she didn't want to bother anyone, and she wasn't sure where to go… Suddenly Kjersti burst into the room.

"Oh, are you awake?" Looking over at the sleeping forms of Mona and Pansy, Kjersti lowered her voice. "It's typical for Mona to sleep late. The breakfast is at eight o'clock. Care to join me and the boys?"

"Sure," Hermione said. "But I think I would like to take a shower first…"

"Right. I want to take one too. I've just been taking my morning work out." Smiling, Kjersti went over to her wardrobe, taking out some clothes.

"Come on, take some clothes," she said, trying to open Hermione's closet. "Damn,", she muttered. Looking at Hermione's confused stare, she smiled. "Oh, it's nothing. Wait a minute, so we can get your key." Going out of the door, Kjersti spoke through what looked like a door bell microphone(A/N: I hope you understood what I meant, 'cause I don't know what the correct word is in Norwegian, yet alone English), pressing one of the buttons. "Gry," she said. "Do you have Hermione's key to her wardrobe?"

There was a loud squealing noise, and a red ball with a long, skin coloured tail and big, round and red tail tip (A/N: or is it tail end?) jumped down on Kjersti's head. "GRY!" she shouted. "Ge'roff me! I've told you not to do that!" At last she got hold of the creature, and holding it at an arms length she looked angry at it, panting. Hermione started to laugh. And laugh. And laugh.

"What?" Kjersti looked angrily at Hermione.

"It was…just…that…look…on your…face," Hermione laughed, gasping for breath and clutching her stomach. "So…funny."

"Right," Kjersti said, her anger fading. "I've told her not to jump on me like that, but she just can't resist it."

"What is she anyway?"

"Why are you talking that language? What are you saying?" Gry, the creature, said.

"I know you can English, Gry. So you have to speak it. You see, Hermione here, can't speak Norwegian."

"Oh."

"As for your question, Hermione, _this_," Kjersti pointed at Gry, "is our House troll(A/N: She's based on my best friend, who just happens to _not_ be a troll in reality). Cute, isn't she?" The House troll blushed. Hermione had to admit that it _was_ sort of cute: Irish red (A/N: hair colour) short fur covered all of Gry's body except her face, hands, feet, and tail – except for the tail tip, which also had fur on it and the shape of an orb. The places that didn't have fur on them had a light skin colour. Her eyes were a light shade of blue.

"She is very cute," Hermione said. Gry turned a deeper shade of red.

"Now, Gry," Kjersti said, turning to the House troll, "do you have Hermione's wardrobe key?" Gry nodded and handed Hermione a key almost identical to the one Kjersti had.

"Thank you, Gry. Are there towels in the bath house?" Gry nodded, and disappeared. Hermione looked after her, suddenly frowning.

"What?" Kjersti asked as they went into the dormitory again to get clothes.

"Does Gry work here?"

"Yes. I told you she is our House troll."

"Are there many house trolls working here?"

"Yes. They do most of the cleaning and cooking and so on."

"Like _house elves_?" Hermione's tone had turned icy.

"Christ, no!" Kjersti looked at her. "Did you think that? Of course they don't work here the way house elves do! They get paid, have holidays and free days, and all the other stuff. Jeez, we're not slavers, you know."

"That's okay, then," Hermione said and smiled. "I was starting to think that she was like a house elf."

"Fortunately, no. She would have been punished a thousand times a day if we had house elves rules." Kjersti stuffed her clothes in a bag, taking shampoo and a brush down in it too.

"Er, Kjersti?" Hermione asked, looking at the clothes Kjersti had put in the bag and the clothes in her wardrobe. Kjersti looked up.

"Yes?"

"Why do you only have _one_ wizard robe here and a hole bunch of muggle clothing?" Kjersti smiled. "I _told_ you you would be surprised. I usually use muggle clothing. I like it better."

"Do everybody go with muggle clothing?"

"Most of us, yes. To be honest, I find boys in muggle clothes much more attractive than boys in wizard robes. I mean, boys in wizard robes look like they go with dresses!"

Hermione looked rather curious. "The teachers let you go with muggle clothes, then?"

"Why, yes. We don't have school uniforms here."

"That is great, isn't it?" Hermione sighed longingly. "To avoid having to wear the same thing as everyone else."

"Well, yeah, but I think we have to go take that shower soon if we're going to make it to breakfast when it starts. Do you have any muggle clothes with you, or do you want to go in wizard robes?"

"Fortunately, I remembered to take with me muggle clothes too in case we were going on a trip in the muggle world."

"Good for you, then. Smart, too. We _are_ going to be in the muggle world sometime. Shall we go then?"

"Yep. What time is it?"

"7:20. I'll leave a note to Mona." Kjersti scribbled a note to Mona, and they went out the door and down to the 'tunnel room', as Kjersti called it. They flew through the '_Nøkken_'-hole, and landed in a pile of cushions.

"Those pillows come in handy," Hermione commented. 

"I totally agree with you," Kjersti said, grinning. They went through the door, and were in a small room with a lot of doors on it. Hermione counted at least a dozen. Some of them were marked with green light, some of them with red light.

"Right," Kjersti said. "I think this one's unoccupied." She opened the door and suddenly took a step back. Hermione got a clear view of Ron standing there with a towel around his waist, drying his hair out. His chest was bare. _My, my,_ Hermione thought. _He has certainly got a great body built…STOP THAT! This is RON! Your BEST FRIEND! You're NOT supposed to think like that!!!_ Her mind tried hard to keep her from staring at Ron and turn around instead, but her eyes were transfixed.

"Ummm," Ron said, looking at them. Harry came in too and looked at them.

"I think this bathroom is booked right now," Kjersti said and dragged Hermione away, slamming the door shut. Going into another bathroom – vacanted this time – and locking it, Kjersti looked Hermione into the eyes.

"I know you like him," she said. Hermione started to protest, but Kjersti held up a hand. "Wait. Let me finish. I know you like him. _You_ know you like him. But to stand looking at him and blushing like a ten-year-old is _not_ helping."

"But what am I gonna do?" Hermione said despairingly. "I'm his best friend! He only _think_ of me like a friend!"

"It didn't look like that back in the mini bus last night," Kjersti smiled.

"But he's so…_dumb_… about it! He'll never realise it!"

"And you're not going to tell him it, are you?" Hermione shook her head. "Good. Relax, Hermi. We'll work it out. Maybe you'll even get together _this year!_"

"Oooooo, you're gonna PAY for that one!" Hermione said, running after Kjersti into the shower. She punched one of the shower buttons and Kjersti was doused in cold water, jogging suit and all.

"Why, you…!" she said, spluttering. Hermione giggled, but was soon spluttering herself, drenched in cold water as she was.

"Truce?" Kjersti asked.

"Truce."

***

Kjersti and Hermione emerged into what Kjersti called _Dovregubbens Hall_ five past eight. Hermione looked around and saw Mats, Harry, and Ron, all having breakfast on their plates, waving at them from a round table designed for about seven people. Maybe thirty tables similar to it were scattered around the room. About half of them were occupied. Malfoy and Crabbe was sitting at a table not to far away. They had wizard robes on – obviously they didn't want to wear muggle clothes. They went over to Mats and co. and sat down. Hermione noticed a Menu lying beside each plate. Kjersti took up hers and opened it.

"I'll have a ham and cheese omelette, one slice of bread with strawberry jam and banana, and a glass of pine apple juice," she said – to the Menu? Instantly what she had asked for lay on her plate – the omelette still steaming. Kjersti turned towards Hermione.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"What do you have?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Kjersti smiled.

"Everything. We even have lama milk and coconut jam. But I wouldn't try that out if I were you."

"Right. Um, how do I do it?" Hermione had opened the Menu, only to find it filled with blank pages.

"You just find out what you want, and tell the Menu," Mats said. '_Tell the Menu'_, Hermione thought. _And I thought going with muggle clothes in a wizard school was weird._ But she told the Menu she wanted sausages and fried eggs and pumpkin juice, and it appeared on her plate. _Hmph. At least you don't have to send things to the others at the table._

The hall was filling up now. Mona and Pansy went over to them, Mona sitting down beside Kjersti and Pansy going over to Draco and Crabbe.

"What class do we have first?" Harry asked.

"Potions," Mats replied through a mouthful of corn flakes.

"Oh, no!" Ron groaned. Kjersti looked curiously at him.

"What's wrong with Potions?"

"What's _wrong_ with Potions? Well, for the _first_, we have an awful teacher-" Ron started. Hermione interrupted him.

"Ron, we don't have Snape here, you know."

"Oh, right," he said sheepishly.

"Snape?" Mats asked.

"That's the Potions teacher at Hogwarts. He's Head of the Slytherin House too."

"And you are in..?"

"The Gryffindor House. _They_," Ron tilted his head towards the Slytherins at the other table, "are from Slytherin."

"Oh. I see. The Slytherins are the bad guys, right?" Mats said. The Gryffindors gaped at him.

"How did you know?"

"The way you talked about them. Besides, no _bad_ teacher would be Head of a nice House, now would he?"

"No. But what about _your_ Potions teacher – is he nice?" Harry asked.

"It's a _she_. And she's very good. Everybody likes her."

"Then who's the bad teacher?" Ron asked. "You've got to have one."

"The caretaker. She guards the exit and tunnel use like a dragon on a pile of gold," Mats said ruefully.

"The caretaker isn't a _teacher_!" Ron protested. The Trollheimen students shrugged.

"Too bad," Mona said. "She isn't occupied with lessons and homework." Kjersti looked at her watch.

"We'd better be going," she said. "The class starts in five minutes. See you there," she said towards the boys and waved for Hermione to follow her. Mona sighed and motioned for Pansy. They went to the Girls' dormitory – _Huldra_, Hermione reminded herself – to get their books, before they went to the Potions house.

***

The Potions teacher, Lisa Guggedrikk, was the exact opposite of Severus Snape – she was such a sunny character that Harry almost needed sunglasses. She had long golden hair in a braid, blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a shining smile. She wore red wizard robes(it seemed like none of the teachers wore muggle clothes), and made Harry think about Ron's mum. She was a little plump and seemed to be in her mid-thirties.

"Think we could convince her to change schools with Snape?" Harry whispered to Ron. Ron grinned at him. They sat down beside Hermione and Kjersti, Mats between them and Draco and Crabbe.

"Are you abandoning me, Kjersti?" Mats said in a mock-hurt voice. Kjersti grinned at him.

"Sorry, honey, have to keep Hermione with company, you know."

"That's alright," Ron said. "You can sit with us." Mats smiled at them and sat down.

"QUIET!" professor Guggedrikk shouted.

"What's she saying?" Harry asked.

"She tells us to be silent," Mats said.

"Oh." Eventually, the class fell silent.

"Right," professor Guggedrikk said. Then she noticed the students from Hogwarts, and blushed a little. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, with a strange accent. "I forgot you would be in this class. How clumsy of me. Wait a minute..." she rummaged in her pocket, finally finding her wand and some papers. "Sorry. I had some owls this morning, and had no place to get the letters..." Then she raised her wand and said: "_Languago allios!"_ With much more ease she said: "There. Now what you hear – from me – or read – written by me – in this classroom will be in the language you find yourself most in ease with. Easier for the teachers, and for you."

"Can't the students get a language spell too?" one boy Harry didn't know yet, asked in haltingly English.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because the Headmaster says so. He want you to practise your English."

"Damn."

"Don't swear while I hear it. Next time you'll get detention."

"Da- all right."

"Those of you who didn't know it – this is the exchange students from Hogwarts, the wizard school in England. You can all get to know each other in the break. Okay. Today, we will brew a potion called 'The far-seeing potion'. Can anyone tell me why it's called that?" Hermione raised her hand, a bit reluctantly. Guggedrikk smiled.

"Yes..," she looked down at a paper, "Hermione, is it?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "It is called 'The far-seeing potion' because when you take it, your sight gets aproxomately ten times better. If you take a double dose, it gets a hundred times better."

"Very good," Guggedrikk said and smiled again. "Now, does anyone know what it is made of?"

Hermione's hand went up in the air again.

***

"What do we have next?" Hermione asked. They(including Draco, Crabbe and Pansy – sorry, I'll always think of Vincent Crabbe as just 'Crabbe') were heading for the Tunnel room again.

"Defence against the Dark Arts," Mats answered. "Oh, that reminds me. Here." He handed each of the Hogwarts students a sheet of paper. "It's a time table. And some other information." Harry read: 

TIMETABLE:

Time:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

8.00-8.55

breakfast

---

---

---

---

9.00-10.55

History of Magic

Potions

Transfigura-tion

Astronomy

DADA

11.00-12.55

Charms

DADA

Herbology

Potions

Divination/Arithmancy

12.55-14.00

lunch/break

---

---

---

---

14.00-15.55

Herbology

Ancient Runes/MS

Charms

COMC

Transfigura-tion

17.00-18.30

dinner

---

---

---

---

WEEKEND: Breakfast 8.00-12.00

Dinner 17.00-19.30

ABREVIATES: COMC = Care of Magical creatures

DADA = Defence against the Dark Arts

MS = Muggle studies

****

Arithmancy is the first and third week in the month theoretical, while the second and the fourth week is practical. When practical the lesson will find place 23.00-01.00 Wednesday night. Therefore the first lesson on Thursday morning will be free.

****

Muggle Studies is the first, third, and fourth week in the month, while **Ancient Runes** is the second week. Everybody have to attend both subjects. The **MS** in the fourth week is always practical: The students will be in the Muggle world for two hours, and have to give a report about the result. The first and third week the **MS** will consist of practical instruction in the interests the muggles have in their private life.

****

Quidditch practices takes place all days at 20.00-21.30

The gymnastic hall is also open every day from 06.00-22.00

"Quidditch practice? Does that mean that everybody can play quidditch if they want to?" Ron asked.

"Yes. How is it at Hogwarts?"

"There we have House teams. The others don't get to play quidditch."

"Stupid rule," Mats said.

"But hey, that means you guys can be with me and practise!" Harry said gleefully.

"Plus the fact that you can play quidditch this year too. If they had a team and a seeker, you couldn't have played," Hermione pointed out.

"Are you seeker?" Mats asked interestedly.

"Yeah. In the Gryffindor House team."

"Cool. I like to be a chaser. We don't have any regular seeker."

"You don't?" Harry asked surprised. "Why?"

"Too many want to be it, but too many ain't any good," Mats grinned.

Draco had been silent until now, but suddenly he said in an outraged tone:

"What?! Everybody has to take _Muggle Studies_?!"

"What's so wrong with that?" Kjersti asked, narrowing her eyes.

"What's wrong with _that?!_ I'll tell you what's wrong with that! I'll have to act like some kinda Muggle lover! A _Malfoy_ doesn't permit that!"

"What an arrogant git you are, _Veela_," Kjersti said. Draco looked shocked.

"What do you mean?" he spluttered. Kjersti stared pointedly at his silver hair.

"Did one of your forefathers have a round in the hay with a Veela? What did she do with him afterwards? Ate him?"

Draco was getting red spots on his cheekbones. Harry hadn't seen him look _this_ mad since...He hadn't seen him this mad. Draco always kept a cold expression on his face. Kjersti was getting _very_ red. It stood extra much out against her light blond hair.

"You _dare_ insult the Malfoy family?" Draco hissed.

"More like insulting the _Veela_ for mating with Malfoys, if all of them are like you!" Kjersti hissed back.

"Why, you b-" Draco was interrupted by Mats who dragged him away into another corridor.

"Get your books," he called backwards. "You're going to be late."

"Come on," Mona said and dragged Kjersti with her. The others reluctantly followed.

"Get your hands off me," Draco hissed at Mats and jerked his arm out of Mats' grip. "Why did you stop me? I would've beaten her."

Mats narrowed his eyes. "More like she would have beaten _you_."

"Hah." Draco sounded unconvinced.

"I mean it," Mats said. "If she had got the chance there, you couldn't have _said_ 'hah'. We would have had to take you with us in a trash can."

"You haven't seen me fighting," Draco said in that arrogant tone of his.

"You haven't seen _her_ fighting either," Mats replied. They stared each other in the eyes for a minute. Draco looked away.

"Why did she react like that, anyway?" he asked. Mats didn't comment the sudden change of subject, but said instead:

"She's muggle born."

"Damn Mud-blood."

Mats looked at him coldly. "I should have let her beat you up," he said and turned. Walking down the corridor, he called back at Draco: "Move it. We're late already."

Cursing, Draco ran after him.

***

"The Moss crawler live in all kinds of woods. It lures lost travelers who look at trees for the guidance of where south is. Now, why is wizards immune against this kind of atta-" professor Alrekstadfjell stopped and looked at the two boys coming through the door.

"Mats, can you explain why you were five minutes late?" he asked with a stern look at Mats.

"We had...er... _complications_ on our way here. I had to explain some things to Draco." Mats tilted his head at Draco who sat down beside Crabbe. Pansy didn't seem to mind – she sat whispering with Mona. Draco looked relieved at that.

"Oh," Alrekstadfjell said. "Well, you are warned. If it hadn't been...Draco's? (Draco nodded) first day here, I would have given both of you detention. Now open your books on page 122. Read and note about the Moss crawler. To friday I want to have an essay about the Moss crawler – at least 2 rolls of parchment." The students sighed(ok, some of the boys groaned) and bent over their books.

***

They were in the Hall(Dovregubbens Hall) eating lunch. After Kjersti and Draco's fight, they sat like they had at breakfast. Draco didn't want to take the chance to trigger Kjersti's temper again, and she made it clear that she was still a bit mad at him.

"The first and third week the MS will consist of practical instruction in the interests the muggles have in their private life," Hermione read. Kjersti snorted.

"A fine way of saying that we have muggle sports in those lessons," she said. "Hansi does have a great way with words."

"What kind of muggle sports?" Harry asked with interest. Before he started at Hogwarts, he had participated in the soccer games at school, although because of Dursley the fun of it had been a bit doused.

"Lots of: Football – usually the soccer type – handball, volleyball, running – all kinds of sports," Mats replied.

"Handball?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Don't you have it in England?"

"No...We sort of concentrate on the football."(A/N: Ok, I'm not completely sure about that, but I think it's true. Please don't flame me if it isn't.)

"Do you know what we're going to have today?" Mats turned towards Kjersti.

"I dunno. Probably football. Maybe handball too.." Kjersti looked eager. "Hey, that reminds me," Kjersti suddenly said. "Have you guys got any jogging suits or something you can use?"

"I _think_ so," Harry said dubiously. "I'm not sure."

"Let's get them, then."

They went to the Tunnel room.

"Hey! Wait for us!" Draco yelled. _Is it just me or is the running to catch up with people the only thing I've done today?_ he thought. Mats looked back at him, with a look that said 'It's your fault anyway, so don't start feeling self-pity'. Draco sighed.

***

"So," Mats said. They(the boys) were in their changing room changing to the work out clothes for the Muggle Studies class – or, as Mats called it, the Muggle Sports class(same abreviate anyway).

"So, what?" Draco asked, pulling a t-shirt over his head.

"_Are_ you part Veela?" Draco's head jerked up.

"What?"

"Are you part Veela?" Mats repeated, knitting his shoe laces. "I mean, you _do_ have a bit...unnatural hair."

"I'm _blonde!_ " Draco protested. From the figure wich was Ron bending over his shoe laces, there came a snort very similar to a restrained laugh.

"Yeah, right," Mats said sarcastically. "Blondes _do_ have silver hair sometimes. Especially when they use wigs." This time, Ron _did_ laugh, but Draco ignored him.

"Honestly," he said annoyed. "My hair has a perfectly normal colour."

"Yeah," Mats nodded, "for a _Veela_." Harry's mouth twitched while he pretended not to listen to the conversation.

"Why are you all of a sudden so fixed up on my heritage?" Draco said irritably.

"I'm just curious," Mats said innocently. "We have to get to know each other, you know. And the best way is to start with facts about each other."

"Facts about _me_, you mean," Draco muttered. "Sorry, pal." (A/N: I'm not sure if they say "pal" in England, but here Draco does. Don't kill me.) He stood up and went through the door. "Come on," he said to Crabbe, who grunted and trudged after him.

"You know," Mats said to Harry and Ron when the door shut, "it wouldn't be all that hard for him just to admit that he's part Veela."

Ron shook his head. "I doubt it. It's hard for him just to be in the same room as me and Harry and not pick a fight."

"Yeah," Harry joined in. "I'm amazed at how much selvcontrol he has."

"Aw, come on," Mats said. "It can't be _that_ bad."

"Yes it can," Harry and Ron said simultaneous.

A/N: So, what do ya think? Yes, I know it isn't Draco-ish to say 'pal', but..I had to have him say it. Sorry. Oh, and I know that I sort of stopped in mid-day, but the MS lesson just wasn't eventful, and I was too lazy to write it. And sorry to all those Draco lovers (I know you are out there!^_^), I'm so, so sorry that Draco had to be such a jerk in this chapter. But, he'll improve, I promise!!!

Again, thanks to those who have reviewed, you guys are the best!! And to you criminals who haven't: It's a little box just down here where you write your name and a little note about how you liked/disliked(hopefully the first one) my story. So, everybody: Review! I'm not gonna post the next chapter before I have ten new reviews(nyahaha, I'm so evil!! ^_~) Hey, it worked the first time!!!! 

Nihao!

aurora borealis ~

   [1]: mailto:kjersti_hb@hotmail.com



	4. Ron makes a Bet and Draco starts to hear...

Disclaimer: Same as before ****

Disclaimer: Same as before.

****

A/N: I might have said that Norwegians from the eastern part of Norway (it's called Østlandet) can't speak good English. My apologies. I'm a 'Bergen patriot'. (Those who are from Norway will know what I mean.)

Thanks to everybody who has reviewed! Love you all! Keep on doing it! ^_^ Especially thanks to Waterfall, Iris Pseudoporis/Girl Who's To Lazy To Log In, Krissy, BJD(even if you didn't review chapter 3), Blue Eyed Blond, and Imogen. And those who hasn't bothered to review: You are a very bad boy/girl. I'm gonna send you to Filch next time... Now, aurora borealis presents...(drums)

****

The Exchange Students

Chapter Four:

Draco hears Voices and Ron makes a Bet

"Wake up," Mats said and shook Harry's shoulder. (A/N: This is the first weekend after Harry & co. arrived at Trollheimen.)

"Mmph," Harry said and shoved his hand away.

"Oh, bugger."

SPLASH.

Harry jerked up, wide awake and drenched. Mats grinned, still holding a bucket.

"Care to help me wake up Ron?" he asked. Harry returned the grin. Silently they tip-toed over to where Ron lay. Mats leaned down and said into Ron's ear:

"Hermione stands in front of you...she says you two won't work out. 'Why?' you ask. She answers: 'I'm in love with Crabbe.'"

Ron jumped up from the bed, grabbing Mats' pyjamas collar. "You're dead, Crabbe," he growled. Mats and Harry burst out laughing. Ron seemed to wake up, and looked sheepishly at them.

"That wasn't nice," he said embarrassed.

"Ron, if you're so fixed up on her, why don't you just ask her to be your girlfriend?" Mats asked. Ron flushed more. "And _don't_ say 'She doesn't like me' 'cause the way you two look at each other, I'm surprised you aren't married yet." 

Now Ron's face had turned the colour of an over-ripe tomato.

"Mats," Harry said, halting Mats' next comment. "They just need time." 

"Time my ass."

Changing the subject, Harry said: "Say, why did you wake us up anyway? It's nine o'clock in the morning, and _Saturday._"

"Oh, I just though you'd like to go down to the gym' with me."

"What's there?" Ron asked, just at the same time as Harry said:

"Mats, if you want to play more football, no thanks. I got enough of that yesterday."

The day before, all the boys from their class had had a game of soccer(except Draco and Crabbe). Harry had been tackled quite much – and since he was so fast, none of the tacklers came in clean and either made him fall and roll over a few metres, or smashed his legs. A rather painful experience.

"No football games. (A/N: When I write 'football', I meant the 'soccer' kind of football.) But Kjersti is probably doing her Martial Arts training..."

"What's 'Martial Arts'?" Ron asked curiously.

"Come and see. It's rather cool to watch. 'Sides, I have to ask Risevis something."

"Risevis? What would he be doing there?"

"I repeat: Come and see." Mats smiled.

"Okay. But maybe we should change first?"

"Good idea. Oh, I almost forgot. I thought we could take Draco with us." Ron and Harry looked dumbstrucked at Mats.

"Take with us Malfoy?"

"Why?" 

"I'm gonna convert him." Seeing their expressions, he said: "Hey, I'm not kidding!"

"You're gonna _convert_ him?" Harry repeated disbelieving.

"_That_ will be the day!" Ron snorted.

"Hey, it's not like I'm saying it snows in Hell or something."

"Yes, you are."

Mats looked at them. "Okay, then. If you don't believe me... I'll make a bet with you, Ron."

"Me?" Ron looked bewildered.

"Yes, you. You know, it _is_ rather annoying with you guys repeating all I say. Anyway, I bet...hmm...two galleons that I can make Draco 'a nice guy' before you go with Hermione out on a date. And-" Mats hold up a hand, "a 'date' means going to the cinema or a restaurant or something. Just the two of you. No Harry allowed."

Ron looked at Mats' hand, not noticing the twinkling of mischief in the eyes of the owner. He grabbed it.

"Deal," he said.

"Deal," Mats repeated. They shook hands. "Harry, you're a witness."

"Fine by me." Harry looked Mats in the eyes, trying to say: _'I know what you're up to and I think it's a very good idea.'_ Mats winked at him.

"Right," he said. "Let's wake up the sleeping beauty here." And he unceremoniously splashed the sleeping Draco with a bucket of cold water.

***

"I don't really understand why you had to bring me with you," Draco said.

"Aw, come on. It's gonna be fun."

"Yeah, right."

Draco was in a rather lousy mood. First these...idiots...(_They're not 'idiots',_ a voice in his head said. _They're your friends._ Draco ignored it.)...had to wake him up. And with _cold water_. His hair wasn't even dry yet. Draco drew an impatient hand through his wet hair. Now where had he been? Oh, yes, the waking up. Now, if _that_ wasn't enough, now suddenly Pansy had lost interest in him. Instead she spent all her time with that Norwegian, Mona. Draco supposed that he should be relieved, but with Pansy went his sense of superiority. Instead, he had got a...a... _It's called conscience,_ the voice in his head said. _Shut up,_ he told it.

They were now in the Tunnel Room with all the holes, names, and pillows. _I have to ask Mats what the connection between the tunnels and their names are,_ Draco thought.

They went over to a hole named '_Treningsbaner'_ and jumped through it. Draco landed in a pile of pillows. Ron landed on him.

"Ow!" Draco said, glaring at Ron.

"Sorry..."

Draco was going to say a cold remark, but seeing Mats' look at him he stopped. _Now why did I do that?_ he asked himself.

__

You know perfectly well why, that accursed voice said.

__

NO! I don't CARE what they think! I'm a Mal-

Just think, the voice interrupted. _You are free here. No daily owls from your dad reminding you to uphold the family's reputation. No Slytherin House. No OTHER Houses. You've got the chance. Take it._

Was that what he wanted? Draco thought about the obvious, pure friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He had never had a friendship like that. His father had seen to that.

__

You don't have to be a Malfoy... the voice whispered inside his head.

"Malfoy, you all right?" Ron asked him again. Draco shook his head, as if coming from a trance.

"I'm fine," he snapped.

"Okay..." Ron said, taking back the hand he had offered to Draco.

__

Okay, voicie, Draco thought. _I'm listening._ He almost felt the voice sigh.

__

Thank God I'm patient, it mumbled.

__

Hey, I heard that!

Draco got an inner vision of someone laughing.

A/N: OK, this was a short chapter, but I just felt like having it as one for itself instead of in a larger chapter.

Next chapter: It's PARTY TIME!

Note: I wrote this chapter the day after I posted chapter three, in the middle of the night. Okay, I had to write it over to the computer afterwards, but...I'm missing my precious sleep for you guys! Anyway, I have been a bit busy(we have had some test and tomorrow I'm gonna play in a consert+I have a German test*shudder*. And we just had our first football match for this season: We WON 2-1! ^_^Congratulations to us!!!). The point IS: I haven't got so much time to write. AND: I have all the ideas, I just don't know how to start writing them!

Anywho, I hope to finish the next chapter soon! Please review, all of you, it's the only thing that keeps me going! (OK, the story which is trying to burst out of my head counts too, but that's beside the point.^_~) Even if you have reviewed on the previous chapters, please review now too! Then I know you're still reading this story.

aurora borealis ~~


	5. Quidditch, a confession and a party

Disclaimer: Oh, you now the rime ****

Disclaimer: Oh, you now the rime.

****

A/N: Sigh. I think I'm suffering the writer's block. I just can't put the story down on the paper...

Oh, and just so you know it: All teachers' names have a hidden meaning(duh!). This is mostly for the Norwegian readers, since they are the only ones here who understand what the names mean. If you really want to know, e-mail me: [kjersti_hb@hotmail.com][1] I'll translate it for you then.

And I'm sorry if I wrote that the boys' dormitories is called 'Nøkken'. That's the _bathroom._ The boys' dorms is called 'Rise'. Sorry.. Oh, yeah, the names of the houses have also a hidden meaning.

Anyway, thanks to: Krissy, Moondragon, Meghan, Arabella Figg, China girl, Blue Eyed Blond, Lady Marmalade. You are the best! ^_^ Oh, and of course thanks to Ron's babe, Fata Morgana, and Waterfall(I don't think she has an author account, but Ron's babe and Fata Morgana have.) And Sverdlilje(gotcha, Nayru!^_^), for some reason.

Now:

__

The Exchange Students, Chapter Five: Quidditch, a confession and a party

They went into the gymnastic hall, the others glancing at Draco from time to time.

"Can you stop looking at me like I'm a ticking _bo-_" Draco stopped, looking speechless at the scene before him. The others turned and stared at it.

Kjersti was in the middle of a fight with a guy. They stood in the middle of the hall, exchanging series of kicks, hits, and blows. Their hands were just a blur of fast movement. The guy lunched a blow for Kjersti's head. She ducked, swinging her leg around to strike at his feet. He jumped up(how can anybody jump so high? Draco wondered) and the boys at the entrance got a clear view of his face. It was-

"Risevis?" Draco said dumbfounded. It had been a shock to know that their Muggle Studies teacher was the Headmaster himself, but to know that he spent his spare time fighting with one of the students...

"Told ya you'd be surprised," Mats grinned.

"No, you didn't. You just said 'Come and see.' That's what _you_ said."

"Oh. Must have forgotten, then. OY! HANS PETTER!" Mats called to Risevis.

"His name is 'Hans Petter'?" Harry said. It wasn't what he imagined a Headmaster would have as a first name.

"Why do you think Kjersti calls him 'Hansi'?" Mats replied.

Risevis stopped at the sound of his name. Kjersti, who was just delivering a blow at his nose, stopped half an inch from it. (A/N: OK, from now on I'll not write in inches and feet. We use the metre system, so that's what I'm gonna write in. Nyah nyah!)

"I have to talk with Mats," Risevis said to her. "You can train with the Martial artist, if you want to." Kjersti nodded. Risevis waved his wand, and a woman the exact size as Kjersti appeared. She was wearing a Kung-Fu uniform, with a brown belt. She radiated an almost invisible blue light. Kjersti and the woman bowed their heads to each other, and began the fight.

"So," Risevis said, smiling at the boys. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about, Mats?"

"Well, you know Kjersti's birthday is next week, and-"

"And you wanted to have a party for her?"

"Yeah. But you know, last time, there was a bit complaining from the first and second years..."

"Oh yes. I remember that. You kept up the music to, what was it? Three o'clock?"

"Um, actually it was 'till four. But anyway, since we shouldn't disturb the kids (Risevis raised an eyebrow), I thought we could have it in one of the other seters."

"It's called a 'hill farm' in English, Mats. But I think it's a good idea."

Mats looked relieved. "Great. The other teachers would have exploded at the mere idea."

"Yes, the teachers...We'll just say it is a party 'so the English students can get more acquainted with our students'. That will convince them."

"Thank you, Hans Petter."

"No problem. Say, is it going to be a surprise party?"

"I doubt we could keep it secret from Kjersti for long."

"Too true," Risevis smiled. "She will try to convince you to let her help making it ready, though."

"Ah, well. Any help we can get. Just as long as she doesn't find the presents."

"Of course. What have you got in mind for her?"

"Well, I have been thinking about the vi- Hello, Kjersti," Mats smiled at Kjersti who walked towards them.

"Hi, everybody. What are you talking about?"

"Oh, we're just going to have a 'get to know each other' party," Mats said, winking at the others.

"When?"

"Next Saturday."

"Cool. Who's gonna arrange it?"

"We haven't decided yet..."

"I'm in," Kjersti said immediatly.

"I thought so. Do any of you guys want to?" Mats asked Draco, Harry and Ron.

"I can." Everybody turned towards Draco.

"What?" Ron and Harry said simultaneously. Draco looked at them.

"I said, I can be in this...party committee. What's so wrong with that?" Harry's jaw was on the floor. Ron's wasn't much higher.

"Nothing wrong with that, Draco," Mats said cheerfully. "Maybe we should have one more girl...What do you think, Kjersti?"

"I'll ask Hermione. See you at quidditch?"

"Sure," Mats said.

Draco watched Kjersti as she went through the door out of the gym, noticing with some satisfaction the way she moved her hips. Suddenly he was aware of that everybody looked at him.

"What?"

***

"Hiya, Hermi! Just woke up, have you?" Kjersti said as she walked into their dormitory. Hermione was reading in a book.

"Let me guess: You've been training."

"And Hermione wins a thousand kroner(A/N: Norwegian currency) for that remarkable accurate guess."

"How many times a week do you have a work out anyway?" Hermione asked.

"Hmmm, let me think...At least seven times a week."

"One work out _a day?!_ " Hermione gaped at Kjersti.

"Yeah. So what?"

"No wonder you're in shape," Hermione muttered.

"It is rather refreshing, you know. I can focus my anger at the punching woman."

"Punching woman?"

"Yeah. It's a...well...a Martial Art-opponent you have to fight. Risevis created it. It match you in skill and height and so on, so you won't have any advantages. It's very useful when you train."

"Oh." Hermione turned towards her book.

"Say, we're gonna arrange a 'get to know each other' party next Saturday. Care to help us?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Oh, come on. For me?" Kjersti looked at Hermione with innocent, pleading eyes.

"Oh, all right. But I warn you: I've never done it before."

"One time has to be the first, right?" Kjersti smiled.

"Yeah," Hermione said, going again back to her book.

"What are you reading?" Kjersti asked curiously.

"Nothing," Hermione said, blushing.

"Yeah, right. Come on, show me."

"It's nothing!" Kjersti grabbed the book from Hermione, looking at the title.

"_How to communicate with the man of your dreams,_" she read. Hermione was blushing beet red. "Hermione," Kjersti sighed. "Have you become _that_ desperate? Never trust a book."

"But-"

"I've told you that we're gonna fix it. And the party will be the perfect chance!"

"Ok."

"Ey, don't make that sad face. Now say after me: I'm not gonna be desperate."

"I'm not gonna be desperate," Hermione repeated.

"I'm the best," Kjersti continued.

"I'm the best."

"I'll not act like a foolish ten-year-old with a childish crush."

"I'll not act like a foo- HEY!"

***

(A/N: I was now told that my nephew(13 months) has eaten most of the dirt belonging to one of our pot-plants. Back to the story.)

The quidditch field was buzzing with voices. Draco looked around, noticing that one meter with snow didn't stop approximately the whole school from being there.

"Why is so many here?" he asked. "Seriously not _everyone_ intend to play quidditch! There's only fourteen players allowed!"

"Yeah, but we have other quidditch fields too," Mats said, and nodded towards some other fields with six tall poles with goalposts. "Although they are smaller. But that fits the first years well."

"I guess. But, it isn't normally so many people playing quidditch, is it?"

"No. Guess you have attracted a crowd. I mean, it's not so often that foreigners come here. Besides from tourists. But they are just annoying."

Just then there was a loud squeal from several girls younger than them.

"Look! It's _Harry Potter_ !"

"Oh, no," Harry groaned. He must have picked up his name and found the connection. The girls were rushing towards them – towards _him_, Draco corrected himself – squealing, giggling and also acting otherwise very girl-ish. "See you later," Harry said and mounted his broom.

"Aw, _man_," most of the girls said. But some mounted the brooms they had been holding, and flew after the swiftly disappearing Harry. Draco almost felt sympathy for him. Almost. _See?_ the inner voice said. _It isn't so much fun to be Harry Potter. Just like he has told you._

Don't make me feel guilty, Draco 'snarled' at the voice.

__

It's my job.

Take vacation.

"He was in a hurry," a voice said behind him. Draco turned, and saw Kjersti, Hermione, Mona, and Pansy.

"Hi, girls," Mats said, grinning. "Harry had an urgent errand."

"What errand?"

"I don't really know. Something like 'Hide and Seek', I think."

"Poor Harry," Mona said.

"Hmf. Reckon he'll manage to reach back before we start?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. Those aren't the best fliers. Besides, he's got a _Firebolt. _Nothing can compare with that broom."

Then three teachers appeared, Risevis one of them. _He sure is active,_ Draco thought.

__

He sure is.

Will you STOP READING MY THOUGHTS?!

I'm sorry. Part of the job. Have to know if you have any wrong intentions, you know.

I hate you.

I can live with that.

"Okay," Risevis said. (A/N: Of course he had done the language spell as well, so Draco &co. could understand him.) He had magnified his voice. "You know the rime. First and second years to field two, third and fourth years to field three. Off you go."

About half the students went to the two other fields with the two other teachers – Trulte Huldervold (CFMC) and Gunnar Tyde (Astronomy), Draco remembered.

"You're not intending to play all of you, are you?" Risevis asked the remaining students. Most of them shook their heads. "Well, don't stand there in the way, then. Go up to the viewing seats." (A/N: Hope that was the right word.) Risevis was standing left with sixteen students.

"Do you wanna play?" Hermione asked Mona – Kjersti was plainly thinking about playing.

"Naw, not really. Quidditch isn't much me."

"You wanna go up on the seats with me, then?"

"Sure. Pansy, are you gonna play?" Mona asked. Pansy shook her head, and the three girls went up to the viewing seats.

"Now we're a player short," Risevis sighed. (A/N: I don't bother with the signs. Let's just say that to the Norwegians, he speaks Norwegian, ok?)

"There comes Harry!" Ron said, pointing at an approaching figure in the air. "Did you shake 'em off?"

Landing, Harry said: "At last, yes. Those girls were _mad_."

Risevis looked curious, but Kjersti said: "Don't ask, Hansi. The thought of those girls makes me want to puke." Risevis shrugged, and said:

"Let's split up in teams. Hmm...Who wants to be Keepers?" Ron and a boy from sixth grade raised their hands. "That was easy. Ron, you go to that side, Johan, you go the other side. Now, who wants to play...oh, bugger, might as well get it over with," he muttered to himself, "Who wants to play Seeker?" Harry, Draco, and five others raised their hands. "Shit," Risevis mumbled. "It happened again. Ok, we'll just have to make a draw." He waved his wand, and seven straws appeared. "They who get the shorter straws, get to be Seekers," he said. "You begin, Rolf." Rolf picked a long straw. Harry picked a short straw. _Damn. Only one short straw left..._ To other boys picked long straws, before it was Draco's turn. He picked a long straw.

"Damn," he said, although without feeling._ That's not so bad, really. At least I won't make an idiot out of myself in front of Kjersti because I can't catch the Snitch faster than Harry. Now HOLD IT! I didn't just think that, did I? Of course I didn't._

You did, the voice said.

__

Shut up.

A girl – Draco thought she was in the sixth year and rather pretty– picked the other short one.

"Linn, you go with Johan, and Harry, you go with Ron." Harry went grinning over to Ron, who gave him a Five. (A/N: You know, that 'Gimme five' thingie? Hope you do, 'cause I won't explain it.^_^)

"Soo...Who wants to play Beater?" Risevis said. Two of the boys that had wanted to play Seeker raised their hands, along with Kjersti and a boy from their class. "Right. Kjersti and Fredrik, you go to Johan's team. Shoo," he said playfully, swatting Kjersti on the ass. Kjersti squealed a little and slapped him equally playfully over the head. None of the Norwegian students seemed to mind. _Now ain't he awfully forward,_ Draco thought.

__

Don't be jealous, the voice said. They are just playing like friends do.

I'm NOT JEALOUS!!!

Sure. Whatever.

"Okay, rest of you are Chasers. You three," he pointed at Draco and two others, "are on Ron's team." With a swish of his wand, he turned the students' coats to red and green. Draco found himself wearing a coat with Gryffindor colour. Surprising himself, he wasn't that nauseatic about it.

"Everybody ready?" Risevis asked. "Mount your brooms. One, two, three!" He blew a whistle, and everybody shot into the air. Draco suddenly found himself holding the Quaffle, rasing towards the goalposts of the Green team.

"Oy! Blond guy! Over here!" Draco turned towards the voice, and saw another from his team waving at him. He threw the Quaffle. The other guy scored.

Draco cheered with everybody else. Then he saw a black blur zooming towards him. He ducked, barely escaping the Bludger. He looked were it came from – Kjersti was grinning at him. Surprising himself (again) Draco grinned back.

The match was something of the greatest things Draco had ever done. He was, surprisingly, a very good Chaser. The teams were very even, and after a little while Draco had scored his first goal in his entire life, making the scores 40-30 to the Red team. Everybody from his team cheered wildly – even Harry and Ron.

"Good job, Blond guy!" The first Chaser said – in English, this time.

"Just call me Veela," Draco grinned. Harry and Ron looked surprised at him. Draco caught Kjersti's eye(she had only been a few meters away), and winked at her. She turned abruptly, her ears turning suspiciously red. Mats (who, Draco admitted, was a very good Chaser) grinned.

The match went on. Suddenly Harry dived towards the ground at top speed. There was a collective gasp. Harry turned sharply, again flying up in the air. In his grasp was the struggling form of the Snitch.

For the first time, Draco wasn't angry because Harry had got the Snitch. But then, it was the first time he and Harry was on the same _team._ Everybody flew over to hug Harry, and for some reason, Draco found himself hugging Harry too. _Oh, bother,_ he thought. The voice in his head had nothing to say this time, but Draco sensed some satisfaction from it.

***

"So, what do you think?" Mats asked the other guys after the Quidditch match. They were down in _Nøkken_, and Harry double-checked that the door was locked. 

"Not that Ron wouldn't mind another visit from Hermione," he grinned at Ron. Ron rewarded him with a bashing in the head with a gym bag.

"You mean, the Quidditch mach? That was cool," Draco said. "I've never played Chaser before."

"You haven't? Then you're better than I thought."

"Umm, I have been playing Seeker..."

"Well, you're a perfect Chaser. Don't waste your time on that Seeker rubbish."

"Rubbish?! The Seeker is _not_ rubbish!" Harry objected, taking off a sock and wrinkling his nose at the smell.

"Whatever," Mats grinned.

"I didn't know that Risevis was so interested in sports," Ron said, much to change the subject so that Harry wouldn't kill Mats – Harry was very touchy when it came to quidditch and Seekers.

"Yeah," Harry said. "He's really cool."

"Well, he _is_ a bit...er...sports crazy," Mats said. "Loves quidditch, loves Martial Arts..."

"That was what he and Kjersti was doing in the gym?" Ron said. "Man! I couldn't even see their hands!"

"Yeah. They use to train every morning."

"What's with Risevis and Kjersti, anyway?" Draco suddenly said. "They seem awfully familiar with each other." Mats, Ron, and Harry turned towards him. _Oh, no. Why the hell did I say that?_

"Are you jealous, Draco?" Harry asked._ That was a sudden turn of events, _Draco thought._ Harry has never called me 'Draco' before. Oh, no. I'm blushing._

"I think he is," Ron grinned. _I hate you,_ Draco thought.

"Relax, Draco. They are cousins." Mats grinned too.

"No competition, then!" Harry grinned even wider. "To think that...Draco Malfoy in love with a Muggle born...Dementors may celebrate Christmas after all." He and Ron burst out laughing.

"Be nice to him," Mats said.

"Yeah, all right," Harry said, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry, Draco."

"Good luck, Draco," Ron said. Then he grinned. "You're gonna need it."

"Thanks," Draco muttered. _That didn't go too bad,_ the inner voice said.

__

Shut up.

***

(A/N: Sigh. Another section starting with an author's note...Anyway, I just realised that Kjersti in the story said that it was _her brother_ that had picked Norbert up (if you can remember that, I'll be amazed). But anyway, to not create confusion later, I'll tell you: I have _no_ brothers,(thank god! Umm, no offence) and therefore no brothers in the story. It was one of my cousins. But then, I don't have male cousins in the 'real' world either...but never mind that. Now: The story.)

"...and 'till the next lesson, I want everybody to write an essay about the Jotun rebellion. That will be all," Professor Tor Sagatroll finished, just as the bell rang. All the students scrambled up and ran out the door to freedom.

"Man, I hate History of Magic," Mats grumbled as they went down the corridor to the tunnel room.

"Hah," Harry said. "Sagatroll's nothing against our teacher when it comes to boredom. We have a _ghost._" Mats winced in sympathy.

"I think the Jotun rebellion sounded quite interesting," Hermione said.

"Yeah, if the teacher wasn't pausing every ten seconds in the speech to scratch his nose or hair, sit down on the desk, or just look over the class," Ron said. (A/N: Based on what my own history teacher does. *sigh* I have him in natural science subject too...poor me.)

"Aye," Kjersti joined in. "He can make even _me_ want to go to sleep."

"There speaks the school genius," Mona grinned.

"I'm _not_ a school genius! I'm perfectly normal. So there."

"Yeah, try another one, Kjersti," Mona said.

"I'm not," Kjersti said in a tiny voice.

"Sure, darlin'," Mats said, grinning himself. "Whatever you say." Kjersti hit him playfully in the shoulder.

"See? Her answer to any teasing: hit 'em." Mats quickly dodged out of Kjersti's reach.

"Why are they always teasing me?" Kjersti asked annoyed.

"I don't know," Mona said.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"I knew that."

Harry and the others from Hogwarts looked interestingly at what looked like was turning into a day-to-day squabble. It was rather funny.

"Hi, everybody!" Mia Trylle-Formel, the Charms teacher, said beamingly. "Please sit down. Now, I hope you have read about this new charm we're going to have about today. Do anyone remember what it is called?" Several hands shot into the air. "Yes...Hilde?" Hermione remembered the cheerful girl with all the horse posters.

"It is called 'the Disco charm'," Hilde said. 

"Remember to speak in English, Hilde. Now, can anybody tell me _why_ it is called 'the Disco charm'?" Not so many hands this time.

"Hilde? Do you know?"

"Uh, it's because it's ...er...usually used when you are at ...er...night clubs?" 

"Correct! You usually use the Disco charm when at celebrations, such as night clubs and parties. Now why is this a charm in the fifth grade curriculum?" No hands in the air. "You don't know that? Neither do I. But I know that Risevis thought you should have about it, because next Saturday it is going to be in use."

"Wat's going two happen den?" one of the students, Helge, asked.

"You will be told later," Trylle-Formel said.

"Aw, come on!"

"Gimme a break!"

"Be a bit cool, 'kay?"

"Oh, all right," Trylle-Formel smiled. "There is going to be a party so that the students from Hogwarts can get to know you better, and the other way around."

There was a big cheer around the room. Trylle-Formel tolerated it for about a minute, before she tried to quiet them down.

"Quiet!" she said. It didn't help. "SILENCE!" she bellowed. The class room fell silent once again. "Thank you. Now, back to the charm...Can anybody describe how it works?" A slight pause while Trylle-Formel looked down at the paper with the Hogwarts students' names(with pictures of them). "Hermione?"

"When you cast the charm, you immediately get, well, what you want to get. It depends. If you want the music you're playing to be loud, it gets loud. If you want flashing disco lights, you get disco lights. And so on."

"Thank you. Now, I want you to learn the spell. Now be warned: To use it, you've got to have the permission from a Ministry wizard or witch from the Entertainment department. Or, in our case, the permission from one of the teachers at the school. Now, I want you to say after me: _Discosito!_ "

"_Discosito!"_ the students roared. There came some low music and a flash of light.

"Try again, 'till you get the hang of it," Trylle-Formel said, putting on mufflers.

At the end of the lesson, the Charms room was roaring with music, and through the door you could see flashing and swinging lights of different colours.

***

"Sooo, we'd better get started with the party arranging, don't you think?" Mats asked at lunch.

"Hmmm?" Draco said.

"I _said_: We'd better get started on the party arranging," Mats repeated.

"Huh? Oh, right. What?" Draco asked, seeing Mats, Harry and Ron grinning at him.

"You're far off in your other world, aren't you?" Mats said.

"What 'other world'? Why are you guys grinning?"

"Never mind. But shouldn't we go ask Kjersti and Hermione to come and start the planning?"

"What planning?"

"Oh, bother. Come on, lover boy."

And Mats left Harry and Ron, who were howling with laughter, to go to the girls' table, Draco in tow.

"Now you get a grip when we talk with them, you understand? You don't want Kjersti to think you're a complete lame-o, right?"

That seemed to clear Draco's mind a bit. "Right," he said.

"Hi, guys," Kjersti said when they came to the table. The conversation they had had, which consisted of much giggling, whispering and leaning heads together, had abruptly stopped.

"Hi. I thought we could start planning the party."

"Great! Thank you! Now I didn't have to be the one to suggest it," Kjersti smiled.

"I have the slight impression that Kjersti loves parties," Hermione said to Mats. He smiled.

"She loves any excuse for her to dance, so…"

"You _dance_, Kjersti?" Hermione looked surprised.

"Now, why does everybody who find out that I like dancing react like the moon has started singing opera with a purple wig?"

"It just isn't in your character, Chessie," Mats smiled.

"To HELL with my character!" Kjersti shouted. Several heads turned their direction.

"Never mind, Kjersti."

"Er, are we gonna start, or not?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm?" Kjersti said distractedly, stopping the tirade she probably was going to let lose. "Oh, yes. Let's go to the library. See you later!" she called to Mona and Pansy. (A/N: I haven't mentioned Crabbe for the last chapter or two, but I don't think anybody objects about that. Let's just say he found some friends with the same IQ in the first grade – OK, _almost_ the same IQ.)

***

"Let's make a list," Kjersti said, taking a note book and a pen from her school bag. "So. What music do we want?"

"The Weird Sisters," Hermione said. (A/N: Hope that's the name of that popular pop group in the wizard world. Don't flame me if it isn't.)

Kjersti wrote it down. "Now, we can't just have them…Is there any other wizard world groups?" They looked uncertain at each other. "Guess not. Sooo, any special requests when it comes to muggle bands?" Again everybody looked at each other. "Nothing there either…Then I'll just ask the DJ to pick out the standard songs, ok?"

"About the DJ," Mats said. "I'm sure my brother can do it." Kjersti grinned.

"I was counting on it. Tell him he'll take the 'usual'."

"Of course," Mats returned the grin. Hermione and Draco looked at from Mats to Kjersti and back again.

"Am I missing something here?" Hermione whispered to Draco. He whispered back:

"Then you're not the only one."

"Right. DJ and music done…Hansi will take care of the lights, as usual."

"He's gonna use the Disco charm?"

"Probably."

"Who's gonna be there?" Hermione asked.

"Right! I almost forgot," Kjersti said. "Hmm. I doubt the first to third years are interested, to be honest, and to be frankly they are a bit to young. I mean, do you want those gnites to walk around there, giggling and too shy to dance and stuff?"

"It's only two years since _you_ were one of those gnites," Hermione pointed out.

"Never mind that. The point is that they are a bit...er..._childish_."

"We get the picture, Kjersti. We totally agree with you."

"I started to get worried," Kjersti grinned.

"But we will invite the fourth years," Mats said. "Now, do we invite the sixth years only, or the seventh years too?"

"I don't think the seventh years are too interested," Kjersti said. "After all, they look at us like a bunch of gnites." She grinned.

"You sure like that word, don't you," Hermione said amused.

"I love it."

"What does it mean?"

"I'm not sure…" (A/N: Me neither. _Is_ it a word? It just popped into my head.)

"Umm, can I ask a stupid question?" Draco asked.

"Shoot away."

"Er…What do we actually _wear_ at these parties? I haven't been to so many of them..." He blushed.

"Hey, anything you want. But I don't think wizard robes are a good idea," Mats said, looking at the robes Draco was wearing. (A/N: His father doesn't allow him to have muggle clothes. What a git.) "Say, you wanna go for some shopping? You could get some muggle clothes. Both for the party and for day to day use."

"Yeah, sure," Draco said. "But I don't have any money..."

"We'll fix that when we get to town. But first, we have to convince Hans Petter that we need to get to Molde."

"Molde?"

"Yeah. That's the biggest town in a not-too-great distance area."

"Speaking of which," Hermione said, "where are we?"

"You haven't been told yet? Trollheimen lies at the Geiranger fjord. It's one of the most popular fjords for tourists to visit," Kjersti said.

"But isn't that a bit unsafe? If any muggles would discover it..."

"I doubt it. Trollheimen isn't just one building, as you know. From the outside most of the houses, or seters, look just like...well..._normal_ seters. Of course, all of them are magically expanded inside. And some of the seters are invisible. Besides, all inhabitants in Geiranger are wizards and witches."

"Oh."

"Anyway, we have to get Hansi to drive us to Molde, 'cause it's too cold to go there by motorcycles," Kjersti continued.

"You're not allowed to use motorcycles before you're sixteen," Mats reminded her.

"Has that ever stopped us?"

"Nooo." They grinned at each other.

"We have to ask the others too if they want to come along," Hermione said.

"Of course." Kjersti smiled. "Mona would kill me if she missed a chance to go shopping."

Just then, the bell rang.

"Damn! We're gonna be late for Herbology!" They ran out to the tunnel room.

**

A/N: Sorry if there was a problem with the line intervals, I don't know what happened.

Yes, I _know_ I promised a party in this chapter... But hey, I've got to have some freedom here! Besides, this was a nice, long, shiny chapter, wasn't it? Made up for that horrible short last chapter. I'm writing chapter six as you read. But please: Use this widdle liddle boxie thingie under here, *points down*, would ya? Thank you. I, like all other fanfic writers, love reviews. So make me happy. Please? *Looks up at the readers with Bambi eyes* Sigh. I've been forced to use them a lot lately.

Nihao!

aurora borealis~

   [1]: mailto:kjersti_hb@hotmail.com



	6. 

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah ****

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah. I don't own anything you recognise from the HHPB (Holy Harry Potter Books).

****

A/N: Thanks to Ron's babe, my beta reader, and everybody who reviewed: Waterfall, Fata Morgana(yes, yes, she isn't on the review list at ff.net, but she reviews at home), EvilTHoughtThinker, Nayru&Din(Nayru, you're the best!!^_^) and Erica.

Sigh. I've been bitten by the fanfiction virus. Instead of doing homework I _need _to do, or practising on my flute, which I _also_ need to do, I'm writing _this._ This is 'the girl which boy classmates believe use her spare time to do homework' speaking. At least you guys are as bad as me. Small comfort...^_~ Just kidding. It's _great_ comfort. Satisfied? I hope my parents don't read this... Hmm? What? Oh, I forgot. Here comes...(the traditional drums)

****

The Exchange Students

Chapter Six: Shopping and Party Preparations

A/N: Wow! Already at chapter six! *tries to pat herself encouragingly on the back without much success* Um, right...the story...

"So, what do we do now?" Hermione asked. They were in a shopping centre in Molde: Risevis had agreed to drive them there. Now he waited at home (ok, Trollheimen) for them to call when they wanted to be picked up again.

"I say we split up," Kjersti suggested. "The girls go for themselves, and the boys go for themselves. That way, we spare time."

"And the boys don't have to wait for the girls all the time when they try the clothes," Mats grinned.

"That too," Kjersti admitted. "Where shall we meet when we're finished?"

"Peppes' Pizza at seven o'clock."

"But that only leaves us three hours!" Mona protested. (A/N: Due to the magical mini bus and Risevis' love for driving fast, the trip to Molde had only taken five minutes. They had went right after the last lesson, fish scales still under their nails. To anybody who want to know, we have jumped to Thursday. Last lesson is Care for Magical Creatures.)

"Half past seven sharp, then. Okay?" Mats looked at Mona.

"Okay," she muttered.

"Let's go, then."

The teenagers went in two different directions.

"Where do we go first?" Mona said.

"I'm not sure... Leather Man?" Kjersti suggested. (A/N: I'm not sure if Leather Man has a shop in Molde, but let's just say it has.)

"Okay." 

"What's Leather Man?" Pansy asked.

"It's a clothes shop," Mona said. "And Kjersti's favourite one. She goes there so often, she's got a bonus card." Kjersti just grinned.

They went inside a shop with walls covered with various leather coats and jackets, loads of tops: tank tops, singlets, other sorts of tops (which I don't know the name of – in Norwegian OR in English) t-shirts... (with short sleeves) There also were pants – both tight fitting with flares and very loose fitting – and some shirts. Hermione recognised one of the jackets on the stands as the jacket Kjersti wore. "This is where you bought your jacket?" she asked Kjersti.

"Yup," Kjersti said, stretching up to get a white tank top with a red dragon on it off the stands.

"Can you take this one down for me?" she asked the man behind the counter.

"Sure," he smiled, coming over and taking down the top. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Kjersti said and turned to Hermione, holding up the top. "What do you think about this one?"

"It's cool," she said.

"Try it. Do you have any pants you can use?" Hermione shook her head. "Let's find one for you, then." Kjersti went over to one of the stands with pants. "Do you care for any red?" she asked, holding up some red leather pants.

"NO!" Hermione almost choked.

"Ok, no red. Hmmm...Look for yourself, then. I have to have a look at some other stuff."

Hermione looked at all the pants. _No leather_, she told herself. Her eyes settled on a pair of jeans – dark blue and white motley. She held it up to Kjersti. "What about this one?"

Kjersti nodded in approval. "Cool. Maybe if the dragon on the top was the same blue... if you want to, we can fix it when we come home, don't you think?" She winked. Hermione smiled.

"I'll go and try it, then," she said and went over to the changing rooms, were Mona stood talking to Pansy.

"Hey, Kjersti! What do you think?" Mona called. Kjersti went over and looked at Pansy, who stood inside the changing room. She had black pants with silver spots down the outside of each leg, and a shock pink singlet.

"Great pants. But the singlet was a bit ...er... pink?" The other girls nodded. "Just a sec," Kjersti ran to one of the stands and came back with a silver glittering singlet. "Try this one." Pansy nodded and closed the door. They heard some shuffling, and then she came out again.

"Perfect," Kjersti and Mona said.

***

"NO! Absolutely _not!_ I refuse to wear those..._absurd_... jeans!" Draco said furiously. Ron and Harry was on the brink of hysterical laughter.

"All right, all right," Mats said grumpily, trying to hide his own laughter at Draco's reaction. "I just suggested it." He sighed. "What about these?" He held up a pair of Caki trousers.

Draco smiled. "I like these," he stated. "Not so extremely wide." He went to the changing rooms. Mats grabbed a black tank top and a black leather jacket, and handed them to Draco over the door in the changing room.

"Try these too," he said.

After a few minutes, Draco appeared in the door. Mats whistled. "I think we are finished, boys."

"So I look okay?" Draco asked nervously after changing back again.

" 'Look okay?' Hell, you make me want to buy those clothes myself," Mats grinned.

***

They met again at Peppes' Pizza at the appointed time, the girls having a few more bags than the boys.

"I'm starving," Mats declared. The others totally agreed.

"I'll call Hansi and ask if we can eat here before he picks us up," Kjersti said and went over to the pay phones. She slipped her wand up so that no one would see it, and muttered a few words. After a few minutes in the phone she returned.

"He says it's all right," she said. "He'll pick us up here at half past nine. Anyone care for some pizza?"

***

"Sooo," Draco said, trying to stifle a yawn, "are we finished?" It was three o'clock in the morning, and he, Mats, Hermione, and Kjersti was serving the detention they got since they came late to CFMC. Since the school needed some more firewood (they only used five logs a day in every fire, but that _is_ a bit much if you put all together) they had to cut it and pile it in the firewood shed.

"I think so," Kjersti said and stretched. "Boy, my back feels like I've been sleeping on a... damnit. Mats," she turned towards Mats, still stretching. "what's a _pinnsvin_ in English?"

"Hedge-hog," he replied.

"Right. My back feels like I've been sleeping on a hedge-hog."

Draco forced himself to not look at her stretching, and instead stared at the big piles of logs covering the walls from floor to ceiling. When they had begun, the room had been almost empty and you could see that it was as big as the Slytherin common room. Now, though, they only had about two metres2 with space to stand in.

"We stacked all this?" he said disbelievingly. 

"Yup," Mats said, looking proudly at it. "We sure did. Not too bad for five hours work, eh?"

"God, my arms are sore," Kjersti said. Since she and Mats were the experienced firewood cutters, they were the ones wielding the axe. (A/N: Of course they wasn't allowed to use magic. If they were, it wouldn't be a detention.) "I think I'll skip the training tomorrow morning."

"I just want to go to bed," Hermione said. It was her first detention ever (A/N: I _think_ so...) and she suddenly knew why Ron and Harry looked so worse for wear the morning after they had had detention. Fortunately, it was Saturday tomorrow.

"Roger on that," Kjersti said, and yawned. "Come on, Hermi." She lay her arm around Hermione's shoulders, and they stumbled towards the tunnel room looking like a pair of drunks. Halfway there, Kjersti fell straight forward.

"Ouch," she said. "Mmm... This feels like a nice bed..."

"Oh, no you don't," Mats said, and lifted her up. "Come on, Draco," he panted, his face going red because of holding Kjersti. "She isn't as light as she looks like." Together they carried Kjersti to the tunnel room: Draco holding her legs and Mats holding her arms.

"Come on, Hermione. We don't want to carry you too."

"Yeah, yeah," Hermione said, following them. "Uh, where are you going?" Draco had already gone through the tunnel hole named _Huldra_, Kjersti had slowly climbed through the hole after him, and Mats was sitting halfway through it.

"To your dormitories, of course. Or did you want to help Kjersti getting to bed by yourself?"

"No..."

"Come on, then." And he slipped through the hole. Hermione sighed, waited a few seconds, and went after him. When she landed in a bunch of pillows, she saw Kjersti trying to rise up. She stood there a few seconds on unsteady feet before she fell down again.

"Damn legs," she muttered. "They got all ruined from all the carrying..."

"Are you okay?" Hermione said, looking worried at her. Kjersti smiled a tired smile at her.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's only these damn legs of mine..."

"Hey, you did most of the cutting," Mats reminded her. "No wonder you've burned out your energy. 'Sides, Hans Petter pushed you at the training."

"Yeah..." Kjersti said, and drifted off to sleep.

"Come on, let's get her to bed," Mats said, and grabbed her arms again. Draco followed suit.

"Let me show you..." Hermione said.

"I know the way," Mats interrupted her. They went up the staircase to the fifth year dormitories. "Could you open the door?"

Hermione did as she was told, and went over to her own bed. 

"Come on," Mats muttered, and Draco followed him over to Kjersti's bed. "On three. One, two, three!" They swung Kjersti onto the bed.

"Phew," Mats said, pulling his hand through his hair. "She sure is heavier than she looks, eh?" Draco nodded, and swayed a little. "Oh, no," Mats said, and shook him. "I won't carry _you_ to your bed, too."

"Okay... 'Night, Hermione." And they staggered out the door and down the stairs.

"'Night," Hermione said and drifted off to sleep, not bothering to change.

***

"Draco, can you find Kjersti? I think she's in the gym," Mats said. "We need to start getting the party ready soon."

"Sure," Draco said and headed towards the gym.

Kjersti was doing an intricate flow of motion. It almost seemed like dancing, but Draco soon realised that it was a series of various kick- and punch moves.

"Hiii-YAH!" 

Suddenly she smashed a tree pole as broad as a big man's hand in two with a high kick. Draco looked disbelieving at her. _And she was the girl who collapsed last night? Sleep can do wonders._

Now she lay her head down on a pillow, shaping a triangular with her head/ hands. Slowly, she rose her feet of the floor, ending with her legs straight up in the air in 180o. It was not before then that she noticed Draco.

"Hi!" she smiled at him. "Come on over here, I don't want to shout all the time." Draco went over, noticing that sweat was pipling down her forehead. (A/N: It's _hard_ to stand on your head. A friend of mine can do it like I described it here, but it takes practice to hold it for long.)

"We're starting to make ready for the party soon," he informed her.

"Pretend I just slapped my forehead, please. Last time I tried it when standing on my head, I almost broke my neck."

"Right," Draco said, unsure if she was kidding or not. Probably not. She rolled down onto the floor again, and stood up, smiling at him. It made him go weak in the knees.

"Tell the others I'll be there in half an hour," she said when they were in the tunnel room and went through the hole to _Nøkken_ (the bathrooms) holding her bag. Draco stared after her for a while, before he suddenly remembered that the others were waiting.

***

"_Tablio settpåplasso_!" Several tables lined up into a long table at Mats' command.

"_Chairio settpåplasso_!" Kjersti shouted, following his example. The chairs sprang to their appropriate places.

"Cool charm," Harry said.

"Yeah," Mats agreed. "Saves a lot of time...hey! You're not supposed to be here yet!"

"Now come on," Harry objected. "We feel left out."

"Yeah!" Ron said in an annoyed tone, although he grinned.

"Well, if you insist on being here, you can help," Mats said, shaking his head defeated.

"There isn't much to do besides casting spells, now is there?" Harry said, looking around.

"True. But here's a thought," Mats lowered his voice and leaned closer to them. "Why don't you go hide Kjersti's gifts? Now she's too preoccupied to notice."

"Sure," Ron nodded. "Ummm...where are they?"

"They're in the cupboard marked 'Cleaning tools' just down the corridor." Harry and Ron hurried towards the hidden gifts – just in time, because Kjersti came towards Mats just then.

"Hiya," she said, and jumped up on him, almost making him fall. He laughed.

"Got your energy back, eh?"

She grinned at him. "Yeah, nothing's like a little exercise to fill the reserves."

Mats shook his head at her. "I just can't understand you," he confessed.

"That's okay! Neither can I!" They laughed.

"Ready for dancing, then?" Mats asked.

"Sure. You too, right?"

"Always."  
"Even with a sprained ankle."

"Probably. They're in for quite a shock, aren't they?" Mats said, looking at the gang from Hogwarts.

"They sure is. Say, we're mostly finished now, right?" Kjersti said, looking around the room. Mats did the same.

"I think so. Just a few things we ask the trolls, and stuff..."

"So it wouldn't be a complete crisis if me and Hermione went up and made us ready?" Kjersti asked innocently, making Bambi eyes. Mats laughed.

"Christ, Kjersti! It's only three o'clock!"

"My point exactly."

"Okay, go off and do all that icky girlie stuff, then." Mats grinned at her. She punched him playfully in the shoulder.

"You're so understanding. Oh yeah, what are you going to wear? I was thinking of that blue dress..."

"Okay. I'll go in what I wear now, then." Mats wore a green pair of trousers, and a dark blue t-shirt.

"Do that, and I'll kill you."

"What's wrong with this?" Mats asked innocently. Kjersti stared at him for a moment with a look that told everything, before she shook her head and went over to Hermione.

"_Boys_," she muttered. Mats laughed.

***

Hermione sat on her bed, brushing her hair and looking at Kjersti. She also sat on her bed, metodously pulling out the hair on her legs one after one. Occasionally an "Ouch" came from her.

"What are you doing, Kjersti?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I'm getting rid of the hair on my legs," Kjersti said grumpily. "What does it look like? Ouch."

"Do you have to take them out one at a time?"

"Can't find my razor," Kjersti answered. "Damn. Why do I have to do this?" she muttered to herself. "Ouch."

"Why can't you just use magic?" Hermione asked. Kjersti stopped in mid-"Ouch" and stared at her with open mouth. Then she slapped herself on the forehead.

"Why didn't I think of that before?" she said. With a wave of her wand, the annoying hairs disappeared. "You're a life saver, Herm."

"No problem," Hermione smiled. "By the way, do you have any hair straightening potion?"

Kjersti shook her head. "Oh, no. You don't have to straighten your hair." She grinned. "I know just what you'll have."

***

"Do I look okay?" Hermione asked, nervously touching her hair.

"Hermione, you look great," Kjersti said with an 'I'm-getting-tired-of-this' sigh.

"You sure?"

"For the _hundredth_ time, Herm, you _look great._ If Ron didn't like you before, which by the way is _not the case_, he sure is gonna change his mind now. He'll be drooling as much as you did that day in the bathroom."

"Thanks...HEY! I DID NOT DROOL!"

Kjersti was laughing so hard she was almost hit by the pillow Hermione threw at her. (A/N: She's got karate reflexes.)

"Come on, lover girl," Mona said teasingly. The other girls from their dorm giggled as they walked down to the tunnel room.

***

"Do I look okay?" Ron asked, nervously tugging at his t shirt.

"She'll be drooling all over you," Mats reassured him.

"You sure? Umm...not that I _want_ her to..." Ron blushed as the other boys laughed. (Except for Crabbe, of course, who was fast asleep – they had slipped some sleeping potion into his meal. Although they doubted that he would wake up anytime before tomorrow afternoon. But you should always be ready for anything.)

"Yeah. Oh, and before you ask, Draco, _yes_, you look okay too."

"As if I was going to ask that..." Draco muttered.

"You were."

"Nooo, I was going to ask if you guys were coming now or not."

"Looking forward to seeing all the girls, eh?" Mats grinned at him. Draco glared at him, but Mats just grinned.

A/N: Sorry, but that's it for this time. But next chapter I _will_ write about the party... I just thought I had used too much time as it was on this chapter. Anyway, hope you like it, and as always there are four steps you always should do when reading a Fanfiction.net story: 1)Read the story. 2)Read the Author's Note at the end (and the beginning, of course) 3)Find out that you'll be a very great reader and therefore... 4)Review.

Oh yeah, and it's almost summer now! Hurray!!!! ^_^ I and some friends had water war (you know what I mean) with some guys from our ex-class (they live up around us). I got totally soaked. The boys had a big _canon_ of a water gun! Anyway, that was sooooo cool/fun and you're not interested, so...

Nihao!

aurora borealis~


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